Some years I chit my seed potatoes by simply placing them in bright light usually in an egg carton. They often dry out. They grow but look sort of unhealthy. This year I placed some in a small pot filled with my seedling soil. The soil was just slightly damp. The potatoes grew green sprouts in about two to three weeks. Far greater growth than simply chitting without the soil. The soil in some cases was too wet and the potatoes rotted in the pots, so just damp is the criteria. Such an improved method is acceptable my case, since I only grow about 75 plants. 19 April 2016 Planting Potatoes 19 April 2016 Planting Potatoes More pictures Chitted in soil. Chitted in Egg carton.
http://durgan.org/2016/August%202016/16%20August%202016%20Pontiac%20Potato/HTML/ 16 August 2016 Pontiac Potato (Red) One Red Pontiac Potato was dug. The vegetation is finished so it will grow no more. The weight was 7 pounds of quality potatoes. This potato is a prolific producer and one of my favourites. The flesh is pristine white.
Excellent! Interesting comparison between chitting with soil and without. I've had experiences with ginger rhizomes that show similar. I lay one on damp sand until it buds. That way I'll get shoots more lush and strong and numerous over leaving on dry paper, or directly planting. The old sprouting in water may be fun for kids, but not good practice.
I got excited about the pot chitting in soil, so since I had time I started a whole new batch. Unfortunately, I made the pot too wet and the whole group simply rotted. Next year I will do what I consider properly in soil and limit the moisture. I never did like the open air chitting, since the tubers dried out and shrunk.
