Potato Chits
- When potatoes open their eyes and start to grow the small shoots produced are called chits. Sometimes gardeners encourage the growth of these chits by a process known as chitting, because planting a chitted potato reduces the time between planting and harvest.
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Chits are the sprouting shoots that grow out of the eyes of a potato.
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The small stems are called chits.
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They are kept cool so they grow slowly
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This makes them plump and strong
- The light makes them green
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short, plump, strong chits will help the potato get off to a quick start when they are planted in the ground.
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This will mean new potatoes will be dug a few weeks early!
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I remember back to my childhood and I can see dad with a back of potatoes over his shoulder. He had the garden all ready for planting and then he would start at one end, pull out a potato, cut it around the eyes so that each potato was cut into three pieces and then he would plant them and hill them up a bit.
As a little kid I would be right under his feet trying to help out.
We have never planted potatoes yet as we are only a couple of years into gardening in our backyard but they are on the list of things to grow this year.
I never knew they shoots were called chits. I love learning new things. I will tell my wife later and make it look like I knew it my whole life.
Comment by James Mann — February 3, 2009 @ 7:25 am
[...] click this link for more information on how to chit potatoes. [...]
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