Growing potatoes

[Herbidacious]

I took delivery of (a small number of) seed potatoes from Suttons, and put them to chit in egg boxes on my window sill. About ten weeks later, there is still barely a sprout (and nothing more than 2mm long). Meanwhile a packet of Sainbury's Charlottes in my cupboard are beginning to look like an alien life form...

Am I being impatient, or do I have duds?

[suffolk]

They'll do just fine ... short sturdy sprouts are ok Potato farmers don't chit their seed potatoes

[Herbidacious]

Ok. Thanks. May wait a bit longer before I plant them though, what with the snow and all...

[suffolk]

Plant potatoes on Good Friday ... it's the Law!!!

[TeresaFoodie]

I love the alien lifeform description! You have to watch those blighters when they grow arms and legs!

[Herbidacious]

I'll be in France on Good Friday (I hope!)

[Herbidacious]

For you Tezza (although this is one I 'made' much earlier - not the current lot.)

[scullion]

the potatoes we planted today had very short sprouts somewhere around a centimetre. if they're too long there's a chance they could be damaged when being interred.
they were a very blight resistant main crop called sarpo mira.

i've bought a dozen to plant at home, too. i may plant them in old, plastic sacks - not the dustbin bag types, more like coal sacks and rubble sacks.

[Herbidacious]

Mine aren't that long. I am putting mine in sacks intended for the purpose. I don't have enough room in my garden to put them in the ground.

I didn't bother last year. The year before the foliage was destroyed by slugs. I shall have to think about this aspect carefully.

[TeresaFoodie]

My goodness Herb, that's a beauty! Did you name him?

[Herbidacious]

No, Tezza, as then I would have had to have felt guilty when he/she/it went on the compost bin.

[TeresaFoodie]

[Herbidacious]

Long gone. More RIP than

[Zosherooney]

Whilst buying lawn moss killer today I picked up a reduced (sorry NLB !) bag of Pink Fir apple pots that are ready to plant for a quid !!!!! I have been offered an endless supply of well rotted horse manure but my question is do I put it in the trench, or on top of the soil, under the pots ??? Pls. advise !

[suffolk]

If it's really well rotted put it in the bottom of the trench and lay the seed potatoes on top.

[scullion]

i would be inclined to dig some into the soil rather than put it in neat at the bottom (or top), especially if you're earthing up, as the roots would be moving away from the manure as they grow up (and it might be a little rich).

[Zosherooney]

Think I'll do a bit of each and compare and contrast. Thanks Scull and Suffs ! (Sounds like a pub name !! )