Q&A for How to Chit Potatoes

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Do you have to wait for potatoes to sprout before planting?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

Ideally, you should wait to plant potatoes until after they have sprouted for best results.

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Question

Do you plant the eye of the potato up or down?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

Ideally, plant the eye facing upward as this is where the stem of the potato will grow from.

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Question

What does it mean to chit potatoes?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

Chit means to encourage the potato seed to grow and sprout before they are planted.

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Question

When should I start chitting potatoes?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

If you live in the U.S., you can start chitting potatoes in late January if the weather is warmer, or in February in the cooler areas.

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Question

Can this same method be used with a piece of sweet potato which has sprouts and its own roots already growing?

Community Answer

Sweet potatoes are started differently than potatoes. They're started from slips which you can order or purchase from a local nursery. If you want to start your own slips, you'll need to cut a sweet potato in half and submerge part of it in water until sprouts and leaves begin to grow.

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