I vaugley remember a thread about chitting that went something like
they chit better in the veg rack than on the windowsill.

I had one lot on the windowsill and another lot waiting in a
bag/shade. The in the bag ones grew lots of shoots, the in the light
ones minimal ones.

Is this perhaps the point? Windowsill gives short fat shoots, in dark
long impractical vulneralbe ones?
--
Mike Reid
Spanish regional cooking at
"http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/espania.htm"

Is this perhaps the point? Windowsill gives short fat shoots, in dark
long impractical vulneralbe ones?

Well, for a bit of a laugh, I've potted up those potatoes of mine which had
'long impractical vulnerable ones' into 2 ltr plastic drink bottles, after
having chopped off the tops of the bottles. Put the tubers in right at the
bottom, and have 'earthed' them up as they have grown. They are now all
above the height of the bottles with very healthy looking leaves. The
compost is now at the top of the bottles.

I'll plant them out when I get down the lotty by simply sliding the plant
into a suitably shaped/sized hole.

Got the idea from the instructions that came with my potato barrel, which
uses a similar technique, i.e. gradual covering of the tuber shoots as they
grow up from the bottom of the barrel.

Best,

- h

In message , The Reid
writes
I vaugley remember a thread about chitting that went something like
they chit better in the veg rack than on the windowsill.

I had one lot on the windowsill and another lot waiting in a
bag/shade. The in the bag ones grew lots of shoots, the in the light
ones minimal ones.

Is this perhaps the point? Windowsill gives short fat shoots, in dark
long impractical vulneralbe ones?


That's exactly the point, the point of chitting really is just to get
the potatoes going earlier than it would if planted out outside (hence
only really useful for earlies) - long thin shoots have no benefit and
are more prone to damage when planting, the short fat ones you get when
chitting in light are the ones that are required.
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html

another method is to make a "tubular" pot out of about five layers of
newspapers and when ready plant the pot 'as is'...the roots will grow thru
the newspaper when inground + the paper will rot...I make my pots about six
inches deep and three inches in diameter. HW. (use the same method for
tomatoes except 8 inche x 8 inch tubular/bottomless pots).
"H" wrote in message
...
Is this perhaps the point? Windowsill gives short fat shoots, in dark
long impractical vulneralbe ones?

Well, for a bit of a laugh, I've potted up those potatoes of mine which
had
'long impractical vulnerable ones' into 2 ltr plastic drink bottles, after
having chopped off the tops of the bottles. Put the tubers in right at the
bottom, and have 'earthed' them up as they have grown. They are now all
above the height of the bottles with very healthy looking leaves. The
compost is now at the top of the bottles.

I'll plant them out when I get down the lotty by simply sliding the plant
into a suitably shaped/sized hole.

Got the idea from the instructions that came with my potato barrel, which
uses a similar technique, i.e. gradual covering of the tuber shoots as
they
grow up from the bottom of the barrel.

Best,

- h