Lesson 1
Chitting and Selecting Seed Potatoes
Prepare your seed potatoes properly to ensure vigorous growth and higher yield potential.
The Chitting Process
'Chitting' is the process of encouraging sprouts to grow on seed potatoes before planting. Place your potatoes in a cool, bright spot (like a windowsill) for 4–6 weeks before the last frost. The sprouts should become short, dark, and sturdy. If they are long and pale, they will snap easily during planting.
Avoiding Disease
Never use supermarket potatoes for growing. They are often treated with sprout inhibitors to keep them fresh for longer, which makes them fail in the garden. Furthermore, they may carry viruses that remain in your soil for years. Always buy certified, disease-free seed potatoes from a reputable garden centre.
Preparation Checklist
- Ensure potatoes are disease-free.
- Maintain a temperature of 10-15 degrees Celsius.
- Keep sprouts oriented towards the light source.