Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

looking after seed potatoes

johnjolaffertyjohnjolafferty Posts: 4
in Fruit & veg
It appears that seed potatoes should be bought now but since they won't be planted until late Feb or March. How do I look after them in the meantime ?
«1

Posts

  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    I've been reading up on this and it says to place them in egg boxes on a bright warm window ledge to develop shoots.  Unless someone on here knows better.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I start chitting my seed potatoes about 6 weeks before I plan to plant them, so mid Feb-ish ... until then i store them on egg trays in a cool dry frostfree dark place ... here our garage fits the bill. 
    I chit them as @Yviestevie does above. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    Thanks @Dovefromabove I'll keep them dark for a while.  This will be the first year I've grown them so just gaining info from books and the forum.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • johnjolaffertyjohnjolafferty Posts: 4
    After some book research and reading responses here I will go ahead and buy my seed potatoes and keep them cold and dark for a couple of weeks and then set them out to chit four to six weeks prior to planting. Fingers crossed for an early Spring.
  • andyphillips1andyphillips1 Posts: 4
    I put mine in unheated greenhouse and cover at night if frost expected the light levels are better. I don't think keeping indoors normally in houses with central heating on for winter and then putting them in cold ground does much good. I rather bring them on slow and steady it's a long time til planting yet

  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    I bought my seed potatoes from The Potato House near Dundee, choosing them for three reasons: a great choice, ability to buy in small quantities, and their willingness to store them until your chosen delivery week.

    In the past I have put potatoes in egg boxes in the shed and had them nibbled by mice.
    Rutland, England
  • QFerU7OvArxIbdyuCD-PtDorCFP7gRRcQFerU7OvArxIbdyuCD-PtDorCFP7gRRc Posts: 1
    Hi :), mine have just arrived with bags to plant them in. 3 earlies, 3 second earlies and three main. I've got a rough idea, has anyone here grown them like this before?
  • selinasallyselinasally Posts: 166
    I was actually looking for greenhouse heaters and have just ended dup buying seed potatoes from potato house   :)
  • Lins_20Lins_20 Posts: 5
    Sorry to gatecrash the thread I’m new to potatoe growing (well gardening in general to be honest ) but I’m just wondering how many seed potatoes should I plant? I have big bag of Maris piper seed pots and am planning on growing them in a large bag but how many crop potatoes do you get from each seed potato? And how much room does each seed potato need when I plant them? 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    @Lins_20 Here you go: :)

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Sign In or Register to comment.