New gardeners, thinking about growing potato seed,find the associated jargon a bit confusing, so here are some Frequently Asked Questions.
1. What is chitting?
- chitting early potatoes means allowing the potatoes to open their eyes and start to grow the small shoots (from the eyes) which are called chits.
- click this link for more information on how to chit potatoes.
- potato-chit-day20
2. Can we put seed potatoes straight in the soil now?
- wait until the soil warms up.
- the soil & weather conditions in the garden determine when the seed can be planted. These conditions do not usually occur until March.
- your soil is ready when it has dried out so that it does not stick to your hands when you run your fingers through it.
- if the soil is cold and wet, your potatoes are better chitting on the window sill!
3. Will potatoes grow anywhere?
- potatoes can be grown in the vegetable garden, in raised beds, pots or in containers.
- potatoes should not be grown in the same soil year after year. It is best to leave a 7 year gap before growing potatoes in the same soil again.
4. Are there any good types of potatoes that we should look out for?
- different potato varieties cook in different ways and mature at different times.
- early potato varieties are the new potatoes that are usually boiled with mint and served hot with butter or eaten cold.
- early potatoes are the first potatoes to be harvested, usually in early June.
- click this link for a short list of early potato varieties.
Please fill in the comments section below if you have any potato seed questions to add to our list of FAQ.
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