growing potatoes in an empty compost bag? (Merged Thread)

Farway

In fact cutting seed spuds is common practice, it is also the method used by record holders to get, say, 2 tons of spuds from 3 [I exagerate a bit here]

sistercas

how long does it take a potato to chit ready for planting?:o

arkonite_babe

We have a thread similar to this already, I'll add your query to it so all the replies are together. Posts are listed in date order so you'll need to read from the beginning to catch up

marrbett

Hi, I have discovered in our carport a box with some potatoes that seem to have chitted themselves wonderfully!! They are small potatoes that we dug up last year, I can't remember when, that have just sat there and done their thing!! Any ideas if i should plant them now or wait until the mains get planted- what happens if I plant them with the earlies and they are maincrop??
Surely if they are chitted, they are ready to plant ,even if they aren't earlies??
Thanks for any help.

Farway

Plant them now, or when soil is ready, otherwise they will get long spindly & weak shoots

If they are are maincrop & you plant them with earlies it is not a problem IMO, just harvest when they are ready [flowering time]

Thefunkygibbons

The potatoes are in their trays, coming along nicely

But don't you know, the main crop are sprouting whereas the first earlies have barely started

p00

Are potatoes ready when they flower or when the flowers die off?

xxp00

Farway

When they flower, but no harm in just digging one up to check first

They will keep in the ground Ok for a while anyway before Autumn, so no need to panic about harvesting, you can just dig some up as you need them

retrocircles

I was about to chit my potatoes, but they already have shoots, 1 or 2 over 10cm in length!

I think it's too early to plant out, so what should I do with them for now?

katskorner

Put them in egg boxes with the majority of shoots facing upwards and keep them in warm and light place like a conservatory or windowsill till Easter then plant them out then.