Seed Potatoes.

[douggym]

I have always planted spuds that have begun to 'shoot' before I can use them for eating. This year I decided to buy proper seed potatoes. I have 'chitted' them in egg boxes on a window sill but they dont seem to be sprouting at all. Spuds from Tesco begin to sprout in my cupboard before I can fry a single chip. How long should I leave these seed potatoes in the chitting positon? How long do they take to do something other than just sitting there (not even looking at me 'cos they dont have eyes yet)? They don't look dead,but they don't look alive either.

[muff13]

How long have you had your seed potatoes? I find that they can take a while to sprout and it is better if the growth is not too rapid as it will be a little while before you plant them out. I would just advise patience.

[carlton23]

Try putting them in the dark for a week or so and as son as they start sprouting put them in the light. Only allow 3-4 eyes and nip out any others

[nonomaybe]

Don't forget to keep them MOIST.

[nonomaybe]

P.S. Maybe you have been growing too many potatoes for your normal use. As potatoes will start sprouting prior to their need to reproduce. The closer we get to planting time the quicker the potatoes will sprout. that's why shop potatoes sprout so quickly as they have been in storage for a while (somewhere). The new crops coming in from places such as Egypt and Cyprus are at the beginning of their cycle. Hang on to them long enough and they also will start sprouting.