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Chitting potatoes
Charlie 224
Posts: 129
in Fruit & veg
How do I know when they are ready to plant? These potatoes have been chitting here for a while, can they go in the ground? They are salad potatoes: Charlotte.
Thanks, Charlie.
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Charlotte pots are second earlies so you could wait a bit, although the shots are long enough.
If you live up north or Scotland I would wait, the ground will still be quite cold.
I agree, the potatoes are ready but the ground may not be - depends on your soil and where you are. If you put your hand on the soil where you want to plant them, does it feel cold? If yes then either just wait a bit or put some fleece down to get it a bit warmer before you put the spuds in.
ETA I'd get some nail scissors and try very carefully to snip the plastic off if I were you. It may constrict the shoots when they do start to grow.
Last edited: 27 March 2017 14:11:04
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Ok yeah thanks, I will plant some of them and make sure they are protected from any frost. They we're growing through the bag when I got them so yes I need to cut off the plastic.
Thank you!
My Charlotte never seem to chit much, but I plant them anyway, and they grow. Mine have gone in the ground this week, but with fleece over them to keep them a little warmer. I will take off the fleece once they are through, unless late frosts are expected.
Yep, been there, done that, recognise the signs
. Those chits are quite fragile though so be gentle
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I Don't have any fleece, is there some way I can improvise without buying?
just wait a week or two, it'll warm up without help (I'm assuming you're not in the Orkneys).
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
You can use newspaper. If it is windy enough to blow off the paper there will not be a frost.
I live in east anglia charlie and my charlottes went in at least 3 weeks ago, i just dig a deep hole for each with my trowel and drop it right down in the bottom, i don't even mound up, and we have great potatoes every year....even in the same plot in my veg garden. I know one should rotate but i don't have space to do that. I have been told that charlottes are quite blight resistant, so fingers crossed that is why I have got away with it, i don't chit mine for long, i use egg boxes to sit them in, hope it goes well for you, potatoes are sooooo rewarding?
ps monty said last night to knock off most of the chits? I don't do that?
I rarely follow any of MD's advice. He also said " peat free compost" . Peat based composts work at least as well for the job.