🥔 Chitting Potatoes: How to Handle Long Shoots

🌱 Introduction: Don’t Panic—Long Shoots Are Fixable

Long shoots (chits) are a common issue, especially if potatoes were started too early, kept too warm, or grown with limited light. While short, sturdy chits are ideal, long shoots don’t mean your potatoes are ruined. With the right handling, you can still plant successfully.

This guide explains why shoots grow long, what to do right now, and how to avoid the problem next time.

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❓ Why Do Potato Shoots Grow Too Long?

Long chits usually result from one or more of the following:

• ❌ Too little light (dark cupboards, shaded rooms)
• ❌ Too much warmth (kitchens, heated rooms)
• ❌ Starting too early and waiting weeks to plant
• ❌ Crowded storage where shoots tangle

Warmth speeds growth; darkness weakens it.

✅ Are Long Shoots a Serious Problem?

They’re a setback—not a disaster.

What long shoots mean:

• Higher risk of breakage
• Slightly delayed establishment
• More care needed at planting

What they don’t mean:

• Crop failure
• Poor final yield (especially for second earlies and maincrop)

🛠️ What to Do Immediately (Damage Control)

✔️ 1. Move Potatoes to Better Conditions

• Place in a brighter, cooler location
• Aim for 5–10°C
• Good light helps stop further stretching

You can’t shorten existing shoots, but you can stop them getting worse.

✔️ 2. Reduce Handling

• Stop moving or rotating trays
• Handle by the potato, not the shoot
• Avoid unnecessary checks

Long chits snap easily.

✔️ 3. Don’t Add Heat or Water

• Heat makes shoots longer and weaker
• Water increases rot risk
• Leave potatoes dry and cool

✂️ Should You Cut or Rub Off Long Shoots?

👉 Usually, no.

Only remove shoots if:

• They are broken or damaged
• There are many thin, tangled shoots
• You’re keeping 1–3 stronger shoots

Never cut shoots with tools. If removal is necessary, gently rub off weak ones with your thumb—and do it once, not repeatedly.

🌱 How to Plant Potatoes With Long Shoots

Planting technique matters more when chits are long.

• Dig holes or trenches before bringing potatoes out
• Lower potatoes gently—don’t drop them
• Position shoots upright where possible
• Cover carefully without pressing on shoots
• Expect slightly slower emergence

If a shoot snaps during planting, plant anyway—the potato will regrow.

⏳ Should You Wait for New, Short Shoots?

Usually no.

• Waiting often leads to more weak growth
• Soil warmth produces better regrowth than indoor conditions
• If planting time is right, plant now

Delay causes more problems than it solves.

🥔 Does Potato Type Matter?

🌱 First Earlies

• More sensitive to delays
• Long shoots may reduce the earliness advantage
• Still worth planting carefully

🌿 Second Earlies

• Cope well with long shoots
• Usually recover fully

🥔 Maincrop

• Least affected
• Long shoots rarely matter in the long run

🚫 How to Avoid Long Shoots Next Time

• Start chitting 4–6 weeks before planting
• Use bright natural light
• Keep temperatures cool (5–10°C)
• Avoid cupboards and warm rooms
• Space potatoes so shoots don’t touch

Short chits are grown—not waited for.

🧠 Key Takeaway

Long shoots are inconvenient, not catastrophic. Move potatoes to cooler, brighter conditions, handle gently, and plant with care. Avoid cutting healthy shoots, and don’t delay planting just to “fix” them.

Remember:
Delay causes more problems than broken shoots.