🥔 Chitting Potatoes: Best Storage Before Planting

🌱 Introduction: Storage Matters as Much as Chitting

Chitting gives seed potatoes a head start—but how you store them before planting can make or break that advantage. Poor storage leads to rot, shrivelling, broken shoots, or stressed plants. Good storage keeps chits short, sturdy, and ready until soil conditions are right.

This guide explains the best way to store chitted potatoes before planting in UK conditions, including temperatures, locations, and common mistakes to avoid.

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✅ The Ideal Storage Conditions (UK)

Aim to keep chitted potatoes stable, not growing fast or drying out.

• Temperature: 4–8°C (cooler than chitting, but frost-free)
• Light: Bright but indirect
• Air: Dry, well-ventilated
• Handling: Minimal

Think cool holding area, not a growing space.

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🪟 Best Places to Store Chitted Potatoes

✔️ Cool Windowsills (Short Term)

• Suitable for a few days to a week
• Keep back from radiators
• Move away from glass during hard frosts

Best if planting is imminent.

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✔️ Porches & Hallways

• Naturally cool and bright
• Often ideal for 1–3 weeks
• Check overnight temperatures stay above freezing

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✔️ Spare Rooms (Unheated)

• Stable conditions
• Good daylight
• Low disturbance

Excellent if outdoor planting is delayed.

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✔️ Frost-Free Greenhouses (With Care)

• Place trays off the floor
• Vent on sunny days
• Protect from overnight frost with fleece

Avoid overheating on bright days.

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🌡️ What to Avoid When Storing Chitted Potatoes

• ❌ Warm rooms (kitchens, living rooms)
• ❌ Dark cupboards or garages
• ❌ Cold concrete floors
• ❌ Plastic bags or sealed boxes
• ❌ Frequent moving or handling

Warmth causes overgrowth; darkness weakens shoots.

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🌱 How to Hold Chits Without Overgrowing Them

If planting is delayed:

• Move potatoes to a cooler spot
• Reduce light slightly (not darkness)
• Stop rotating trays
• Don’t rub off healthy shoots

Cooler temperatures slow growth safely without weakening chits.

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❄️ Frost Protection Is Essential

Chitted potatoes must not freeze.

During cold snaps:

• Move indoors overnight
• Keep away from cold glass
• Use fleece temporarily (don’t trap moisture)

Freezing damages both tubers and chits.

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📦 Best Containers for Storage

• Egg boxes
• Seed trays
• Shallow cardboard or wooden boxes

Ensure:

• Potatoes are rose end up
• Shoots don’t touch or tangle
• Air can circulate freely

Never cover or water stored seed potatoes.

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👀 Signs Storage Conditions Are Right

You’re doing it correctly if:

• Shoots stay 1–3 cm
• Chits remain thick and upright
• Colour stays green or purple
• Tubers stay firm, not shrivelled

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🚫 Signs Storage Needs Adjusting

Act if you see:

• Shoots stretching → move cooler/brighter
• Shrivelling → move away from dry heat
• Blackened tips → possible frost exposure
• Soft tubers → discard (rot risk)

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🧠 Storage Timing by Potato Type

• First earlies: Short storage window; plant as soon as soil allows
• Second earlies: 1–2 weeks storage is fine
• Maincrop: Can be stored longer, but keep chits short

Match storage duration to planting reality.

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🧠 Key Takeaway

The best storage for chitted potatoes before planting is cool, bright, dry, and frost-free. Your goal is to pause growth without weakening shoots. Keep them stable, handle them gently, and wait for workable soil—your chits will be ready when you are.

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