How to Chit Potatoes

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson Reviewed by Erin Hostetler

Last Updated: June 23, 2024 Approved

If you're new to growing potatoes or just want a larger crop, you should chit your potatoes before planting them. Chitting potatoes forces them to sprout a few weeks before you plant them. This speeds up the growing process and gives you a bigger harvest. Use seed potatoes and let them sit in a cool, light place for several weeks. Once they've sprouted, you can plant them in warm soil.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Arranging the Seed Potatoes

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1
Decide when to chit the potatoes. The potatoes will need 4 to 6 weeks after chitting before they're ready to plant. This will give them a chance to sprout and start putting on growth. At this point, you can plant the seed potatoes in warm soil. Most people chit their potatoes in January or February so they can plant in March or April, when soil temperature's reach about 50 degrees F (10 degrees C).^{[1]
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- Check an almanac or ask an expert at your local nursery to find out when the soil will be warm enough for planting the potatoes.
2
Buy seed potatoes. Seed potatoes are potatoes specifically sold for planting, rather than cooking and eating. You can buy them by the sackful from a nursery or order the type you like online. Unlike grocery store potatoes, seed potatoes aren't sprayed with chemicals and they're guaranteed to be free of viruses.^{[2]
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- If you want to chit organic potatoes or potatoes from a farmer's market, keep in mind that these may carry viruses that will prevent your potatoes from growing well.
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If you have potatoes left over from your last year's crop, you can chit them for this season's crop. If you don't have potatoes left over, remember to set aside a bin full of this season's potatoes to use for next year's crop.
4
Arrange the seed potatoes in an upright position. Get out an empty egg carton and place one seed potato in each hole of the carton. The eyes (little indentations where the potato sprouts) should be facing the top and the heel of the potato should be sitting in the carton. The heel is the narrow end of the potato where it was cut from the vine.^{[3]
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- If you don't have an empty egg carton, you can use any container with dividers that give the potatoes a little space. It's important to let some air circulate between the seed potatoes.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Storing and Planting the Seed Potatoes

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1
Store the carton of potatoes in a cool, light room. Place the container of seed potatoes in a space that is cool, but has plenty of light. Try to choose a space that's around 50 degrees F (10 degrees C) which will force the seed potatoes to sprout. You might place the seed potatoes on a porch or in a garage that gets lots of light.^{[4]
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- Avoid storing the seed potatoes in a dark or frosty space since these could prevent the seed potatoes from sprouting.
2
Wait 4 to 6 weeks for the potatoes to sprout. Give the seed potatoes a chance to sprout little shoots. You should see strong, green shoots on each of the potatoes after 4 to 6 weeks. Once these shoots are about 2 to 3 centimeters long, the seed potatoes are ready to plant.^{[5]
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- The sprouts should be coming from each eye on the potatoes.
3
Rub off excess shoots from the potatoes. If you'd like to grow large potatoes, take a seed potato and rub off most of the shoots. Leave 3 or 4 of the largest, strongest shoots. Each of these will grow to be a large potato.^{[6]
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- If you'd prefer to have a crop of smaller potatoes, you don't need to rub off the excess shoots.
4
Plant the seeds shoot-side up. Once the soil is consistently 50 degrees F (10 degrees C), you can plant the seed potatoes. You can plant the seed potatoes whole or cut them into pieces so each piece has a shoot. Plant each potato or shoot about 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.5 cm) deep with the shoot facing up. They should be spaced 12 to 18 inches (30.5 to 45 cm) apart.^{[7]
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- If you'd like to space the potatoes out in your garden to cover a large space, you should cut the seed potatoes into pieces. This will maximize your coverage.

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Question

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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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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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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