chitting potatoes
 

Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the spuds
have wee shoots growing from them?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags, compost
and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting sprouts. I have
no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow before I can plant them,
please?

chitting potatoes
 

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?


Yes. The sprouts are called chits.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags, compost
and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting sprouts. I
have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow before I can plant
them, please?

No, stick them in now. There is disagreement every year about whether it
actually achieves anything anyway. TBH, I'm surprised they haven't started
sprouting in the bags by now.


Steve

chitting potatoes
 

shazzbat wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?


Yes. The sprouts are called chits.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?

No, stick them in now. There is disagreement every year about whether
it actually achieves anything anyway. TBH, I'm surprised they haven't
started sprouting in the bags by now.

No fresh green sprouts. Just kind of..brown lumpy bits, the same colour as
the rest of the potato. But in they shall go:))

Many thanks Steve:)

chitting potatoes
 

Martin wrote:
On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:48:23 +0100, "Ophelia"
wrote:

Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?


The RHS and Google are your friends
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...tatoespots.asp

Thanks Martin, but if I want to google for things myself, then there is not
much point in belonging to a newsgroup:)

chitting potatoes
 

In message , Ophelia
writes
Martin wrote:
On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:48:23 +0100, "Ophelia"
wrote:

Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?


The RHS and Google are your friends
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...tatoespots.asp

Thanks Martin, but if I want to google for things myself, then there is not
much point in belonging to a newsgroup:)

This seems a less than courteous reply - or do I detect some history
here? If Martin can take the trouble to look up fulsome advice from the
professionals on how to grow potatoes for you and then point you in the
direction of the detailed advice surely that is as acceptable to you as
cutting and pasting the verbiage followed by a signature? A newsgroup
doesn't only exist to re-write or paraphrase what already exists. Rather
to help with advice - such a Martin has given.
--
Gopher .... I know my place!

chitting potatoes
 

Gopher wrote:
In message , Ophelia
writes
Martin wrote:
On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:48:23 +0100, "Ophelia"
wrote:

Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?


The RHS and Google are your friends
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...tatoespots.asp

Thanks Martin, but if I want to google for things myself, then there
is not much point in belonging to a newsgroup:)

This seems a less than courteous reply - or do I detect some history
here? If Martin can take the trouble to look up fulsome advice from
the professionals on how to grow potatoes for you and then point you
in the direction of the detailed advice surely that is as acceptable
to you as cutting and pasting the verbiage followed by a signature? A
newsgroup doesn't only exist to re-write or paraphrase what already
exists. Rather to help with advice - such a Martin has given.

If I have caused offence, then I apologise unreservedly. It was certainly
not meant in the way you seem to perceive it.

chitting potatoes
 

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Gopher wrote:
In message , Ophelia
writes
Martin wrote:
On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:48:23 +0100, "Ophelia"
wrote:

Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?


The RHS and Google are your friends
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...tatoespots.asp

Thanks Martin, but if I want to google for things myself, then there
is not much point in belonging to a newsgroup:)

This seems a less than courteous reply - or do I detect some history
here? If Martin can take the trouble to look up fulsome advice from
the professionals on how to grow potatoes for you and then point you
in the direction of the detailed advice surely that is as acceptable
to you as cutting and pasting the verbiage followed by a signature? A
newsgroup doesn't only exist to re-write or paraphrase what already
exists. Rather to help with advice - such a Martin has given.

If I have caused offence, then I apologise unreservedly. It was certainly
not meant in the way you seem to perceive it.

Except that, if Martin really had any usefull information, it would have
been better either to post it or email it.

chitting potatoes
 

"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?


Yes. The sprouts are called chits.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow before I
can plant them, please?

No, stick them in now. There is disagreement every year about whether it
actually achieves anything anyway. TBH, I'm surprised they haven't started
sprouting in the bags by now.

Me too, mine have been sprouting for ages, but being a lazy begger I haven't
had the get up and go to get them in the ground, perhaps tomorrow!




Steve

chitting potatoes
 

"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags, compost
and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting sprouts. I
have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow before I can plant
them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then just go
ahead and plant.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

chitting potatoes
 

In message , alan.holmes
writes

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Gopher wrote:
In message , Ophelia
writes
Martin wrote:
On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:48:23 +0100, "Ophelia"
wrote:

Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?


The RHS and Google are your friends
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...tatoespots.asp

Thanks Martin, but if I want to google for things myself, then there
is not much point in belonging to a newsgroup:)

This seems a less than courteous reply - or do I detect some history
here? If Martin can take the trouble to look up fulsome advice from
the professionals on how to grow potatoes for you and then point you
in the direction of the detailed advice surely that is as acceptable
to you as cutting and pasting the verbiage followed by a signature? A
newsgroup doesn't only exist to re-write or paraphrase what already
exists. Rather to help with advice - such a Martin has given.

If I have caused offence, then I apologise unreservedly. It was certainly
not meant in the way you seem to perceive it.

Except that, if Martin really had any usefull information, it would have
been better either to post it or email it.

Absolutely no problem Ophelia ..... my perception of things is
frequently out of sync :-))

But, Alan, I do not see how it would have been better to cut, paste and
post or E-mail a couple of pages of info rather than give the key to its
instant access. But then that's just my opinion .... and everyone is
entitled to theirs, and to express it. Ho hum.....!
--
Gopher .... I know my place!

chitting potatoes
 

alan.holmes wrote:
Except that, if Martin really had any usefull information, it would
have been better either to post it or email it.

Thank you Alan but I was wrong to discount any work that Martin had put into
his response. I have spent my working life researching. It is very easy
for me to do that but I am enjoying the ideas and friendly discourse here.
It is so much nicer to talk. For example, when I asked about waiting to
plant my potatoes until the shoots had appeared, Steve was able to tell me
that :

"There is disagreement every year about whether it actually achieves
anything anyway"

I probably couldn't have found that by googling. I am able to access the
knowledge and experience of real people here.

Nevertheless, I do apologise to Martin.

chitting potatoes
 

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

Ah! I supposed that one put them in the light and waited. Is there a
technique?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then just
go ahead and plant.

Just one more question if you please. Do I bury the potatoes completely or
leave some of the bumpy bits poking out?

Thank you Bob:)

ps Not just a question to you Bob, but are my questions terribly asinine?
Would it be preferable to the group for me to go away and do some research
first?

I did say I was a beginner, but perhaps I didn't make it clear just how much
of one:)

chitting potatoes
 

alan.holmes wrote:
"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?


Yes. The sprouts are called chits.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?

No, stick them in now. There is disagreement every year about
whether it actually achieves anything anyway. TBH, I'm surprised
they haven't started sprouting in the bags by now.

Me too, mine have been sprouting for ages, but being a lazy begger I
haven't had the get up and go to get them in the ground, perhaps
tomorrow!

:) Well, I suppose with better knowledge, I would have looked for a bag of
seed potatoes with sprouts. I only bought them a few weeks ago.

chitting potatoes
 

Ophelia wrote:
alan.holmes wrote:
Except that, if Martin really had any usefull information, it would
have been better either to post it or email it.

Thank you Alan but I was wrong to discount any work that Martin had
put into his response. I have spent my working life researching. It
is very easy for me to do that but I am enjoying the ideas and
friendly discourse here. It is so much nicer to talk. For example,
when I asked about waiting to plant my potatoes until the shoots had
appeared, Steve was able to tell me that :

"There is disagreement every year about whether it actually achieves
anything anyway"

I probably couldn't have found that by googling. I am able to access
the knowledge and experience of real people here.

Nevertheless, I do apologise to Martin.

Indeed.......I ask questions here even though I know I could Google. Nothing
beats personal knowledge and experience.
--
Pete C
London UK

chitting potatoes
 

Ophelia wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
snippy
I did say I was a beginner, but perhaps I didn't make it clear just
how much of one:)
Interesting..........when does one move on from being a beginner?
Ophelia.......drop me a mail.....I have some info for you :)
--
Pete C
London UK

chitting potatoes
 

Pete C wrote:
Ophelia wrote:
alan.holmes wrote:
Except that, if Martin really had any usefull information, it would
have been better either to post it or email it.

Thank you Alan but I was wrong to discount any work that Martin had
put into his response. I have spent my working life researching. It
is very easy for me to do that but I am enjoying the ideas and
friendly discourse here. It is so much nicer to talk. For example,
when I asked about waiting to plant my potatoes until the shoots had
appeared, Steve was able to tell me that :

"There is disagreement every year about whether it actually achieves
anything anyway"

I probably couldn't have found that by googling. I am able to access
the knowledge and experience of real people here.

Nevertheless, I do apologise to Martin.

Indeed.......I ask questions here even though I know I could Google.
Nothing beats personal knowledge and experience.

Thanks Pete.

chitting potatoes
 

Pete C wrote:
Ophelia wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
snippy
I did say I was a beginner, but perhaps I didn't make it clear just
how much of one:)
Interesting..........when does one move on from being a beginner?
Ophelia.......drop me a mail.....I have some info for you :)

Thank you:) My email is good.

chitting potatoes
 

"Ophelia" wrote
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

Ah! I supposed that one put them in the light and waited. Is there a
technique?

Sounds like you have the technique. Some spuds are slow to sprout, other
romp away.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then just
go ahead and plant.

Just one more question if you please. Do I bury the potatoes completely
or leave some of the bumpy bits poking out?


Yes, normally about 6 inches down. I use a bulb planter pushed into the soil
as far as it will go to cut a hole.

ps Not just a question to you Bob, but are my questions terribly asinine?
Would it be preferable to the group for me to go away and do some research
first?

I did say I was a beginner, but perhaps I didn't make it clear just how
much of one:)


We all had to learn sometime, not everyone is lucky enough to have had years
of advice/practice from good allotment gardeners as they grew up. Sometimes
a simple question from a novice can make experienced gardeners question
themselves, which is always good.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

chitting potatoes
 

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

Ah! I supposed that one put them in the light and waited. Is there a
technique?

Sounds like you have the technique. Some spuds are slow to sprout,
other romp away.

*I* have the technique??? Wow:))))

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then just
go ahead and plant.

Just one more question if you please. Do I bury the potatoes
completely or leave some of the bumpy bits poking out?


Yes, normally about 6 inches down. I use a bulb planter pushed into
the soil as far as it will go to cut a hole.

Ace:) thanks:))

ps Not just a question to you Bob, but are my questions terribly
asinine? Would it be preferable to the group for me to go away and
do some research first?

I did say I was a beginner, but perhaps I didn't make it clear just
how much of one:)


We all had to learn sometime, not everyone is lucky enough to have
had years of advice/practice from good allotment gardeners as they
grew up. Sometimes a simple question from a novice can make
experienced gardeners question themselves, which is always good.

You are most kind, thank you. It is very much appreciated.

chitting potatoes
 

On 3/4/09 16:38, in article , "Gopher"
wrote:

In message , alan.holmes
writes

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Gopher wrote:
In message , Ophelia
writes
Martin wrote:
On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:48:23 +0100, "Ophelia"
wrote:

Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?


The RHS and Google are your friends
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...tatoespots.asp

Thanks Martin, but if I want to google for things myself, then there
is not much point in belonging to a newsgroup:)

This seems a less than courteous reply - or do I detect some history
here? If Martin can take the trouble to look up fulsome advice from
the professionals on how to grow potatoes for you and then point you
in the direction of the detailed advice surely that is as acceptable
to you as cutting and pasting the verbiage followed by a signature? A
newsgroup doesn't only exist to re-write or paraphrase what already
exists. Rather to help with advice - such a Martin has given.

If I have caused offence, then I apologise unreservedly. It was certainly
not meant in the way you seem to perceive it.

Except that, if Martin really had any usefull information, it would have
been better either to post it or email it.

Absolutely no problem Ophelia ..... my perception of things is
frequently out of sync :-))

But, Alan, I do not see how it would have been better to cut, paste and
post or E-mail a couple of pages of info rather than give the key to its
instant access. But then that's just my opinion .... and everyone is
entitled to theirs, and to express it. Ho hum.....!

Just my opinion of course but I think both methods have their place in a
newsgroup like this. People can get techie info from Google but what is
also invaluable is *personal* experience. Sometimes it comes from new
gardeners, sometimes from long-term ones and both learn from the other
through chatting and not just looking up Google, although Google references
are invaluable at times, IMO.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials online

chitting potatoes
 

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags, compost
and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting sprouts. I
have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow before I can plant
them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then just go
ahead and plant.


Mine are already up! They are all around an inch or two above the
surface of the soil. I'm just hoping there aren't any really hard frosts.

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

chitting potatoes
 

David in Normandy wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then just
go ahead and plant.


Mine are already up! They are all around an inch or two above the
surface of the soil. I'm just hoping there aren't any really hard
frosts.

Show off :)))))

chitting potatoes
 

On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:00:23 +0100, Ophelia wrote:

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

Ah! I supposed that one put them in the light and waited. Is there a
technique?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then just go
ahead and plant.

Just one more question if you please. Do I bury the potatoes completely
or leave some of the bumpy bits poking out?


The former. I use a bulb-planter. One advatage of chitting is thast you
can see which end has the most sprouts: put that end facing up! Otherwise
look for the 'eyes' the bits you gouge out when peeling spuds) and put
the end with most of them pointing up.

chitting potatoes
 

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
alan.holmes wrote:
"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?


Yes. The sprouts are called chits.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?

No, stick them in now. There is disagreement every year about
whether it actually achieves anything anyway. TBH, I'm surprised
they haven't started sprouting in the bags by now.

Me too, mine have been sprouting for ages, but being a lazy begger I
haven't had the get up and go to get them in the ground, perhaps
tomorrow!

:) Well, I suppose with better knowledge, I would have looked for a bag
of
seed potatoes with sprouts. I only bought them a few weeks ago.

I don't think its important to buy potatoes already starting to chit, if the
time is not right to plant them, seeds already chiting can be a real
nuisance.

I never buy bags of seed potatoes, as there are always far to many for my
needs, I look for places which sell them loose, so I can choose exactly
those which are suitable for me to use.

Alan

chitting potatoes
 

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

Ah! I supposed that one put them in the light and waited. Is there a
technique?

That is what I do!

chitting potatoes
 

On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:12:29 +0200, David in Normandy wrote:

Mine are already up! They are all around an inch or two above the
surface of the soil. I'm just hoping there aren't any really hard
frosts.

Same here, but mine are covered by three or four inches of vraic so
shouldn't suffer even if do get a late frost.

chitting potatoes
 

Derek Turner wrote:
On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:00:23 +0100, Ophelia wrote:

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

Ah! I supposed that one put them in the light and waited. Is there a
technique?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then
just go ahead and plant.

Just one more question if you please. Do I bury the potatoes
completely or leave some of the bumpy bits poking out?


The former. I use a bulb-planter. One advatage of chitting is thast
you can see which end has the most sprouts: put that end facing up!
Otherwise look for the 'eyes' the bits you gouge out when peeling
spuds) and put the end with most of them pointing up.

Thank you:) That'll be the lumpy bits then?

chitting potatoes
 

alan.holmes wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
alan.holmes wrote:
"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?


Yes. The sprouts are called chits.

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. I have no sprouts. Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?

No, stick them in now. There is disagreement every year about
whether it actually achieves anything anyway. TBH, I'm surprised
they haven't started sprouting in the bags by now.

Me too, mine have been sprouting for ages, but being a lazy begger I
haven't had the get up and go to get them in the ground, perhaps
tomorrow!

:) Well, I suppose with better knowledge, I would have looked for a
bag of
seed potatoes with sprouts. I only bought them a few weeks ago.

I don't think its important to buy potatoes already starting to chit,
if the time is not right to plant them, seeds already chiting can be
a real nuisance.

I never buy bags of seed potatoes, as there are always far to many
for my needs, I look for places which sell them loose, so I can
choose exactly those which are suitable for me to use.

I bought just a few. They did have big sacks full but I got a small ...
umm... net? of them! About a dozen if memory serves without going outside to
look. I will tomorrow though if you would like to know?

chitting potatoes
 

alan.holmes wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til
the spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

Ah! I supposed that one put them in the light and waited. Is there a
technique?

That is what I do!

:)

chitting potatoes
 

Derek Turner wrote:
On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:12:29 +0200, David in Normandy wrote:

Mine are already up! They are all around an inch or two above the
surface of the soil. I'm just hoping there aren't any really hard
frosts.

Same here, but mine are covered by three or four inches of vraic so
shouldn't suffer even if do get a late frost.

Vraic?

chitting potatoes
 

On 3/4/09 20:44, in article , "Ophelia"
wrote:

Derek Turner wrote:
On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:12:29 +0200, David in Normandy wrote:

Mine are already up! They are all around an inch or two above the
surface of the soil. I'm just hoping there aren't any really hard
frosts.

Same here, but mine are covered by three or four inches of vraic so
shouldn't suffer even if do get a late frost.

Vraic?



Bladder wrack seaweed. Old Norman French/Jersey term for that type of
seaweed. It's a first class fertiliser/ground improver.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials online

chitting potatoes
 

Sacha wrote:
On 3/4/09 20:44, in article ,
"Ophelia" wrote:

Derek Turner wrote:
On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:12:29 +0200, David in Normandy wrote:

Mine are already up! They are all around an inch or two above the
surface of the soil. I'm just hoping there aren't any really hard
frosts.

Same here, but mine are covered by three or four inches of vraic so
shouldn't suffer even if do get a late frost.

Vraic?



Bladder wrack seaweed. Old Norman French/Jersey term for that type of
seaweed. It's a first class fertiliser/ground improver.

Ahh.. thank you:)

chitting potatoes
 

On Apr 3, 6:01*pm, "Pete C" wrote:
Ophelia wrote:
alan.holmes wrote:
Except that, if Martin really had any usefull information, it would
have been better either to post it or email it.

Thank you Alan but I was wrong to discount any work that Martin had
put into his response. *I have spent my working life researching. *It
is very easy for me to do that but I am enjoying the ideas and
friendly discourse here. It is so much nicer to talk. *For example,
when I asked about waiting to plant my potatoes until the shoots had
appeared, Steve was able to tell me that :

"There is disagreement every year about whether it actually achieves
anything anyway"

I probably couldn't have found that by googling. I am able to access
the knowledge and experience of real people here.

Nevertheless, I do apologise to Martin.

Indeed.......I ask questions here even though I know I could Google. Nothing
beats personal knowledge and experience.
--
Pete C
London UK

Me too, I can Google but the personal experiences and advice of
posters is superior. Martin is always very helpful, he will advise
and also direct me/us to a site to back it up. We have the best of
both worlds with him. Sometimes the written word can come over a bit
abrupt but I know that O and Martin understood and no offence was
taken on either side. Now young Pete, did you put in those C.Lucifer?

Judith

chitting potatoes
 

On Apr 3, 5:00*pm, "Ophelia" wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" *wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

Ah! *I supposed that one put them in the light and waited. Is there a
technique?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. *I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. * I have no sprouts. *Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then just
go ahead and plant.

Just one more question if you please. *Do I bury the potatoes completely or
leave some of the bumpy bits poking out?

Thank you Bob:)

ps Not just a question to you Bob, but are my questions terribly asinine?
Would it be preferable to the group for me to go away and do some research
first?

I did say I was a beginner, but perhaps I didn't make it clear just how much
of one:)

Hey you, don't be daft, I am the Queen of asinine questions and in
over 12 plus years nobody has told me to do research first. I think
those of us, you, me and some others make the group more interesting
in that we benefit from their advice and they, as good teachers, enjoy
teaching us.

Judith

chitting potatoes
 

Judith in France wrote:
On Apr 3, 6:01 pm, "Pete C" wrote:
Ophelia wrote:
alan.holmes wrote:
Except that, if Martin really had any usefull information, it would

snippy
.. Now young Pete, did you put in those C.Lucifer?

Of course.........nuffink :(
--
Pete C
London UK

chitting potatoes
 

On Apr 3, 10:48*pm, "Pete C" wrote:
Judith in France wrote:
On Apr 3, 6:01 pm, "Pete C" wrote:
Ophelia wrote:
alan.holmes wrote:
Except that, if Martin really had any usefull information, it would

snippy
. *Now young Pete, did you put in those C.Lucifer?

Of course.........nuffink :(
--
Pete C
London UK

Behave, they wont be up yet!!!!!

Judith

chitting potatoes
 

On Apr 3, 10:15*pm, Martin wrote:
On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 13:58:16 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France



wrote:
On Apr 3, 5:00*pm, "Ophelia" wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ophelia" *wrote
Just to be sure I know what this means.. does it mean waiting til the
spuds have wee shoots growing from them?

Yes, well actually, getting them to start to sprout.

Ah! *I supposed that one put them in the light and waited. Is there a
technique?

I mentioned that when at Harlow Carr recently, I bought some bags,
compost and some seed potatoes. *I have them in the light awaiting
sprouts. * I have no sprouts. *Must I wait till the sprouts grow
before I can plant them, please?
No, if they haven't started to sprout and are otherwise OK then just
go ahead and plant.

Just one more question if you please. *Do I bury the potatoes completely or
leave some of the bumpy bits poking out?

Thank you Bob:)

ps Not just a question to you Bob, but are my questions terribly asinine?
Would it be preferable to the group for me to go away and do some research
first?

I did say I was a beginner, but perhaps I didn't make it clear just how much
of one:)

Hey you, don't be daft, I am the Queen of asinine questions and in
over 12 plus years nobody has told me to do research first. *I think
those of us, you, me and some others make the group more interesting
in that we benefit from their advice and they, as good teachers, enjoy
teaching us.

Nobody told Ophelia to do research first.
The RHS explanation is better than I can write myself and it did answer the
question.
--

Martin

I know sweetie, can you advise me on .... I forgot you already did, a
week ago and it is coming on well. :-)

Judith

chitting potatoes
 

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
alan.holmes wrote:
"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
alan.holmes wrote:

I don't think its important to buy potatoes already starting to chit,
if the time is not right to plant them, seeds already chiting can be
a real nuisance.

I never buy bags of seed potatoes, as there are always far to many
for my needs, I look for places which sell them loose, so I can
choose exactly those which are suitable for me to use.

I bought just a few. They did have big sacks full but I got a small ...
umm... net? of them! About a dozen if memory serves without going outside
to look. I will tomorrow though if you would like to know?

I can't wait!(:-)

chitting potatoes
 

"Ophelia" wrote in message
...
Derek Turner wrote:
On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:12:29 +0200, David in Normandy wrote:

Mine are already up! They are all around an inch or two above the
surface of the soil. I'm just hoping there aren't any really hard
frosts.

Same here, but mine are covered by three or four inches of vraic so
shouldn't suffer even if do get a late frost.

Vraic?

You rotter, I was going to ask that!(:-)

chitting potatoes
 

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 3/4/09 20:44, in article , "Ophelia"
wrote:

Derek Turner wrote:
On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:12:29 +0200, David in Normandy wrote:

Mine are already up! They are all around an inch or two above the
surface of the soil. I'm just hoping there aren't any really hard
frosts.

Same here, but mine are covered by three or four inches of vraic so
shouldn't suffer even if do get a late frost.

Vraic?



Bladder wrack seaweed. Old Norman French/Jersey term for that type of
seaweed. It's a first class fertiliser/ground improver.

Do you think they will have it in the 'pound' shop?



--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials online