I’ve been pacing up and down for the last couple of days like an expectant mother waiting for signs of life from my broad beans, and at last beginning to emerge from those little pots of compost are the signs of new life. I’m filled with glee.Nothing new to report from the plot, it was snowing again yesterday, today has been rather chilly but the good news is that there has been no snow and the day has an awe of spring about it. Things could change within the hour though, considering what the weather has been like over the last few weeks. It is forecasted (in Middlesbrough) for the weekend weather to be cold with further light wintry showers. I hope it holds off for a few hours on Sunday so I can give it another try to get something done on the Lottie, even if I build a few beds in anticipation of winter digging, it’s a step in the right direction.
Advice needed: when my seed potatoes arrived, the maincrop arrived at the same time, now it says in most magazines/books you don’t need to chit maincrop potatoes so I’ve left them in the box until needed for planting in April. I checked on them the other day as I went to get out my 2nd earlies to start chitting them, and the maincrop spuds had started to grow big white shoots, not little ones, big ones. How do I stop these growing, and will it hinder the spuds when they are planted out, giving me a inferior crop. Any advice would be appreciated.
Isn't it wonderful when we see the little shoots appear. I chit all my potatoes. The white shoots will appear when the potatoes are kept somewhere too dark or warm. They need to be kept somewhere cool, but not exposed to frost, and light. I would rub off the white shoots, it won't do them any harm, but be careful not to damage the tuber in the process.
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