Is chitting potatoes strictly necessary for a successful harvest? The short answer is no, but this preparatory technique is highly recommended by experienced growers for specific benefits. Chitting is the process of encouraging seed potatoes to sprout before planting, giving them a head start on the growing season. While potatoes will eventually grow without this step, chitting ensures the development of strong, healthy shoots, directly influencing the timing and consistency of the final crop.
Defining Chitting and the Preparation Process
Chitting is the practice of pre-sprouting seed potatoes under controlled conditions to break their natural dormancy before planting. This is achieved by placing the tubers in a cool, well-lit, and airy environment, such as an egg carton or a shallow tray. The process typically begins four to six weeks before the anticipated outdoor planting date.
Gardeners must orient the seed potato with the “rose end” facing upward, which is the blunter end containing the “eyes” or buds from which new shoots will emerge. Exposure to diffuse light, rather than darkness, is crucial. This light suppresses the elongation of the sprouts, resulting in short, stubby, and often colored shoots. These sturdy sprouts, ideally about a half to one inch long, are much more robust than the long, pale, and brittle sprouts that form in dark storage.
The Physiological Impact on Growth and Timing
The physiological goal of chitting is to advance the seed tuber’s age, which significantly hastens the plant’s entire growth cycle. By pre-sprouting, the potato utilizes stored energy to initiate shoot development above ground, bypassing the initial underground sprouting period. This head start can reduce the time from planting to emergence, tuberization, and canopy development.
Chitting is particularly beneficial for first and second early varieties, as it can bring the harvest forward by up to two weeks, an advantage in regions with short growing seasons. The accelerated growth allows the plant to form tubers earlier, leading to a potentially higher yield of consistent size. Establishing a vigorous plant quickly may offer an advantage in avoiding later-season diseases, such as potato blight.
Planting Without Chitting and Direct Planting Considerations
Planting unchitted potatoes is a perfectly viable option, as the tuber will naturally sprout once the soil temperature is sufficiently warm, typically around 45°–50°F (7°–10°C). The main trade-off for skipping the chitting process is a delay in the final harvest. The time the tuber spends underground developing shoots is added to the overall maturation period.
Skipping chitting is often acceptable for maincrop varieties, which have a naturally longer growing season and are not intended for early harvest. Direct planting is also preferred in very cold, wet soil conditions, where delicate chitted sprouts might be susceptible to rotting before they can establish. While chitting provides greater control over growth timing and yield consistency, the potato plant’s biological imperative to grow means that a harvest is still guaranteed without it.