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Chitting means setting seed potatoes out to sprout before they go into the ground, so shoots are already developing when planting time comes. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) says chitted tubers develop more quickly than unchitted ones, which can make an earlier harvest possible. That is a head start, not a promise of a bigger crop or a fixed number of days saved.
How to chit seed potatoes
Chitting needs very little equipment. The steps below follow RHS guidance on seed potatoes, egg boxes and shoot length.
- Buy seed potatoes that are specially prepared and certified virus-free. The RHS describes seed potatoes in this way and notes that garden centres and online retailers sell them in autumn and spring.
- Choose a container. A reused egg box is sufficient for the RHS method. A tray is also an accepted option, so a dedicated chitting tray is optional rather than necessary.
- Find the rose end of each tuber. This is the end with the most eyes, the small buds from which shoots emerge.
- Stand each tuber rose-end up in the egg box or tray, so the most eyes face upward.
- Place the tubers in a cool, light place. RHS wording is “cool and light.” Its guidance does not give a numerical temperature, so do not rely on a specific figure from other sources.
- Wait two to three weeks. According to the RHS plant profile, shoots begin to sprout in this period. This is an approximate guide, not a deadline.
- Plant when shoots reach about 2–5 cm. The RHS container-growing guide describes shoots of this length as ready to plant.
Why chitting helps, and where the evidence stops
The RHS salad-potato trial bulletin explains that chitting encourages the eyes to produce shoots before the soil is warm enough for planting. The seed tubers therefore begin growing a few weeks before planting conditions are suitable. The bulletin concludes that chitted tubers develop more quickly than non-chitted tubers and that an earlier harvest is possible.
Three limits matter when you apply this:
- The gain is qualitative. The RHS sources do not quantify how many days chitting saves or how much it changes yield.
- Variety matters. The bulletin notes that some regard chitting as really worthwhile only for early varieties. The sources do not establish whether later varieties gain anything, so the benefit should not be assumed for every potato.
- The bulletin is older. Its publication date is not stated in the material available, so treat it as established horticultural guidance rather than a recent measurement.
Timing: spring planting versus August planting
Chitting advice depends on when you plant. The two RHS cases below point in different directions, and both are UK-specific.
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| Situation | Planting timing | Chitting advice | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring planting, UK | After frosts have passed, from around mid-March to mid-April | Chit. Shoots begin in two to three weeks; plant at about 2–5 cm | RHS plant profile; RHS container-growing guide |
| August planting for Christmas potatoes, UK | August, when the soil is already warm | Chitting is not needed | RHS Christmas-potato advice |
The spring dates are RHS guidance for the UK. Elsewhere, set your timing by local frost dates and local growing calendars, because the same calendar will not apply in every climate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Deciding whether to chit
- Chit for spring planting where you want to encourage an earlier harvest, particularly with early varieties.
- Skip chitting for an August planting of Christmas potatoes, where the RHS says warm soil makes it unnecessary.
- Plant without chitting if your variety is a later one and you are not seeking an earlier harvest, since the evidence on later varieties is limited.
Whichever route you take, the seed potatoes should be certified virus-free before you start.
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