A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Decision on Potatoes

I want to grow potatoes this year,but I need info before I can make a decision. My elevation is low(300 ft.) so I think they may get blight.

On the gardening shows I watch a lot of gardeners use raised beds for their potatoes. I'm thinking about doing that when time permits.

I'm going to grow them in raised beds.

might plant a few myself. But they'll be in the ground. I don't have any raised beds.

I should prepare the potato bed soon.

you should. it's about time.

Chitting http://iuyum.notlong.com/ General Overview.

seed tubers are best 'chitted' or sprouted. Look closely at the potatoes and you should see more eyes at the crown - often there are three or four, sometimes five, in a cluster. On some tubers, particularly the roundish shaped types, they may be placed off centre. If these are allowed to grow they will produce mainly small tubers. Using a potato peeler or a small pointed knife remove all the eyes in the cluster by scooping approximately one eighth of an inch (3mm) deep, which should eliminate any regrowth. Without the crown cluster eyes, the tuber's food reserves will be directed to shoulder and side eyes. Reject all tubers showing the slightest sign of disease. Cutting out the diseased part, such as dry rot or gangrene, is no answer because if it is planted the diseased tubers will infect the soil.

Set treated tubers, crown up, on egg trays, thus allowing space for the sprouts to develop. They do not require high temperatures, but should be kept in full light and free from extreme cold or frost.This will encourage sturdy sprouts. Sprouts will form within a few weeks, dark blue or green, or deep pink or red, depending upon the cultivar, by planting time. By chitting we may select the eyes and encourage good sturdy sprouts before planting to produce earlier, improved crops.

http://miezoh.notlong.com Chitting Picture indicating procedure. 16 March 2008 My Chitting method.

seed potatoes were purchased 16 March 2008. Some were already sprouted, so it was easy to remove the clustered sprouts. This is my method. I use a potato peeler and remove a plug consisting of the clustered sprouts. This is probaly only feasible in a home garden, due to the labour and expense involved.