Author Topic: Storage of seed tatties (Read 8001 times)

Wellieboots · « **on:** December 11, 2008, 11:41:30 am »

'ello folks

due to an inability to "just say no" I've today received a rather large amount of seed tatties from the organic garden catalogue. Given that it is only december my question is can I store the tatties as they arrived in the delivery box (just netted to seperate the different ones) and start to chit them next ?Feb or should I start to chit now?

Never grown them before and only know that planting isn't until March at the earliest up here in scotland so what to I do with the kg's of seed tat's that I have just got!?

Cheers folks

Wellieboots · « **Reply #1 on:** December 19, 2008, 04:18:51 pm »

Oh well, 134 folks presumably don't know what to do. Odd as this is (I thought) for folks growing stuff?!
Anyhoo, have decided after the unanimous support to chit them all in the cupboard for a while and then bring them out into the light next year.
Shall I update you all on progress...is it worthwhile....should I bother.......well if you want to know about my broadbean success thus far you should keep tuned!
Happy Crimbo, except for the

!!

rustyme · « **Reply #2 on:** December 19, 2008, 04:41:21 pm »

hello WB,
didn't see your first post , sorry... Anyway , I wouldn't chit them yet . Keep them stored in a dark, frost free but cool shed/room . You can store them either in paper or hessian sacks , or you could store them in cardboard boxes. Just keep checking them for any rot . Next year you can start to chit them when the time is right , ie for the particular variety you have. If any sprout before hand just rub off the spidery sprouts. If you intend to grow in a poly tunnel you can start them earlier . The main thing is to keep them away from heat and light till you are ready to chit them. I don't really bother chitting mine these days , as I don't seem to see any difference in quantity of yield , or quality of potato. This is a matter of chioce really , but good luck with either way ....

cheers

Russ

doganjo · « **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2008, 12:10:09 am »

Sorry, Wellieboots, I did see your post but don't feel qualified as I have only grown tatties occasionally. In Aberdeenshire we were always told to plant on the April holiday weekend and harvest on the July(Trades) holiday weekend - but whether that's for earlies, mid or lates I have no idea. My gran used to put them straight in the ground without chitting them and I did that this year with my 'cupboard' variety, with quite a bit of success.
Apologies for lack of response on behalf of all of us.

Rosemary · « **Reply #4 on:** December 20, 2008, 07:06:32 pm »

We've always chitted our but , like Russ, I'm not sure it makes much difference - might with earlies but not main crop.

I'm like you - I get carried away with the catalogues and end up scratching around for places to put the extra spuds - there are just so many varieties and each seems better than the last!!

Wellieboots · « **Reply #5 on:** December 21, 2008, 12:37:42 pm »

thanks folks - the thought of not hearing about my broad beans in due course has spurred you all into action!

Me spuds are currently stored on a huge tray in a cupboard in a cool part of the house (unheated) but after just a week I'm noticing a few have put out tiny shoots so will nip them off and admonish them accordingly!

The whole lot looks like a bizarre miniture rendition of the terracotta army, especially the Anya tat's!

Will talk to them regularly to ensure that they don't start to sprout too early.

'appy crimbo

doganjo · « **Reply #6 on:** December 21, 2008, 07:19:32 pm »

So what about the broad beans meantime then? A starter for ten?

Wellieboots · « **Reply #7 on:** December 22, 2008, 11:18:30 am »

ahh the broad beans...well lets just say that bog roll tubes, a handy large room with lots of light, an external bed sprouting away andnature just doesn'twant to shut up shop even given we havejust had the winter solstice....more to follow but like a good magician doesn't show the true reveal, I must concur and leave it at that for now..........

greenfingers · « **Reply #8 on:** December 27, 2008, 08:46:05 am »

Hi Wellie boots,
I too have had all my seed tatties, onions sets and seeds delivered from the same catalogue. Mine came last friday 19th. I agree the anyas look different but believe me they taste lovely my Dad grows them in Kent and we have some when we go down, mmmmmmm I can taste them already. I have put all mine in the shed where it is dry though i must also agree I have some small shoots appearing already.
I am saving my loo rolls as well for my green beans, I can't remember where I read or saw it done, but I am certaninly going to try it. I you have not got enough rolls them use newpaper rolled up and taped together, it will rot down just the same.
Elaine

sellickbhoy · « **Reply #9 on:** January 14, 2009, 04:22:05 pm »

Right then,

my seed tatties arrived today

I've got 1 set of early and 2 of main crop

to chit them - what's needed - light, heat or both? Should i put these on a tray in a sunny windowsill or leave them in a box in a dark warm airing cupboard?

I'm up in scotland, so don't anticipate sticking them in the ground for 2 months - as it's still chilly up here until March (actually, it's chilly up here all year round, but you know what i mean)

So should i start the chitting process now, or hang fire for anothr few weeks?

TIA

Wellieboots · « **Reply #10 on:** January 15, 2009, 08:22:07 am »

I've just stuck all of mine on a big tray in a dark cupboard in an unheated room for the time being - & the buggers have started to chit already! I'm intending to just keep them there until about 6-8 weeks before planting and then move them out into the light but still the unheated room.

Like you I'm up in Scotland (Perthshire) so oor planting is always a few weeks later than "down south".

Also couldn't resist buying some more main crop at the weekend (like I really needed them!) so went off on a scrounge and found a set of 4 dumped car tyres which will be used to as 2 planters (2 tyres per planter) for extra tattie growing space! Also found a nice roll of wire for the rasps and another role of sheep fence style wire which will come in handy too.

Foraging isn't just all about food!!

sellickbhoy · « **Reply #11 on:** January 15, 2009, 01:47:41 pm »

Hi Wellieboots

I love perthshire, most beautiful part of scotland IMO (and that's saying something!!)

I think i've overdone it on the number of seed potatoes i've bought!! DOH!!!

so if anyone is in the area and needs some Roosters - they can come and get some!

I've a few old car tyres and a few of the potato planter sacks, i'm gonna get them in the greenhouse and get started in march - and i'll put the rest of the earlies and maincrop into the raised beds a few weeks later - hopefully that'll get things going along quite nicely

i'm a great fan of the gumtree.com freebies page - i've had loads of stuff from there for free - including the aforementioned tyres, greenhouse, wood to build the raised beds, fencing for the dog run and a load of other stuff too!!!

great being a tight highlander!! LOL

Wellieboots · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2009, 09:15:48 am »

I'm with you there mate. It is a nice part of the world and being able to see up toward Glenshee makes it easier to plan my climbing trips rather than rely on "heather the economic with the truth weather!"

I've also got a few of those tattie bags and am building another couple of smaller raised beds to accomodate my earlies. Like you I seem to have magically accumulated more seed tatties than perhaps I really need, but I'm gonna have a darn hard go at getting them all planted, somehow, somewhere!

Maybe I need to change my name to tattieboots!