Potato Update

When the subject of chitting came up before it proved surprisingly controversial. Since I’ve only planted 9 seed potatoes, sticking them on the windowsill in egg boxes didn’t really constitute chitting hell (as described by Tar Baby) but I was alarmed at the news that chitting could actually inhibit yield.

Tar Baby reports that first earlies benefit from chitting. Second earlies show no effect. Main crop is inhibited (but I’m not growing any). No news on charlotte the salad potato.

To add to the data on which these results are based, here’s my report:

Potatoes Flowering (Red Duke of York)

First earlier were the slowest of the starting block. They’re now beginning to flower (as seen here) but in terms of pushing through the sods, back then they were trailing last. Second earlies (below) did best, closely followed by the salad spuds. So much for chitting.

Potatoes Flowering (Maris Peer)

About Simon Wood

Lecturer in medical education, lapsed mathematician, Doctor Who fan and garden railway builder. See simonwood.info for more...

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