[Ghdp]

After waiting for what seemed like months (but was probably only a month) I finally received a few  (only 16) seed potatoes today. They are second earlies (Maris piper) and I would have planted them up in April if I could. They have not truly chitted yet - although there are 'eyes' and the indications of (very little) shoots forming. The bed is new, not brilliant soil but I have added as much compost as I can scrape together and is as ready as I can get it . My query is which is the better option

1. Potting them in the ground now to have the longest growing period or
2. chit them and sow in may be a week or two's time hoping they catch up?

I am unlikely to get hold of any more but I read that I can cut the seed potatoes to make more than one 'seed' provided it has a couple of eyes on each piece. Do I do that just before planting or do I cut them and let them 'dry up' a bit before planting.

Sorry if these are all obvious questions but I have never tried to grow potatoes from so few seeds, so late in the spring and in such grotty soil!!

[Fleecewife]

We plant our seed potatoes this week anyway - not earlier as we get frosts into June and if planted now then they remain small enough that the foliage can be covered by earthing up.  So compared to here, you would be planting at the ideal time.  You don't have to chit potatoes before planting them - it is simply a way of getting them started before you can plant them safely outside.  I would just plant them now, with a good handful of something like pelleted chicken manure per plant to give them a boost.


I have not tried cutting them in half although I know you can do this, but I think it's only worth doing if the seed potatoes are fairly large.

[Ghdp]

Thank you. That is very helpful FW. I will also cut the biggest two or three in two and hope for the best.
 

[doganjo]

I couldn't get seed potatoes so I found some supermarket ones in the back of the cupboard that I'd forgotten about - no idea what variety they are but they are now in a big tub, and already showing growth.  Fingers crossed there's a reasonable crop in July and they are edible

[Ghdp]

Thanks for the tips. I followed both. I planted 12 as suggested by FW and rather than cut the remaining four I placed them in a big garden waste sack ( did not have a big tub)  with such compost and wet rotted stuff as I could find. Now I will see what works best for me potatoes and an experiment- great ideas both. Ta

[Fleecewife]

We got ours in yesterday and now they're being watered in by the first rain in three weeks 

[sabrina]

I planted my seed potatoes a few weeks ago but I have some in the kitchen that have sprouted so going to plant them too. In years gone by I have done this, cutting some in half and always got a good crop.

[Dan]

The commercial growers here in Angus have been planting main crop for about a week now, and still at it, so it's definitely not too late. We time our planting based on what they do, I have most of ours in with a few rows still to plant.
If anyone in the Carnoustie area wants Rooster seed potatoes we've got dozens to spare - a friend gifted us 3 large trays, and we've only got room to plant about 100 of them.

[PK]

Like Dan, but a long way further south, the farmers around here have been planting potatoes this week. Earlies can still be planted late; they will still mature faster than maincrop. One potential problem about late planting in some areas is greater risk of blight.