Cutting seed potatoes in half?

[pelmetman]

I've had a look around and couldn't find anything about it............probably searched in the wrong area

I've bought my seed spuds (Charlottes) and they're quite large so thinking of cutting them in half........but should I do it now and allow the cut end to dry, or can I do it as I plant them?

[Davie Crockett]

Hi Dave, I can remember my Grandad doing this one year. He cut them vertically (with the eyes uppermost) and then dabbed them dry and dusted the cut with flowers of sulphur. (I guess this was to limit rot/infection/insect infestation).

I don't remember how it affected his final crop though.

Just googled this which confirms the way he did it: http://www.gardenersclick.com/gardening ... of_sulphur

Edit: Just found this which has more specific advice: http://topveg.com/2008/01/how-to-divide ... d-potatoes

[Odsox]

Yes I've done this, in fact I regularly do it.
When you buy seed potatoes you always seem to get 4 or 5 huge ones and those are the ones I cut. Try to cut them so that you have a fairly equal amount of eyes or sprouts on each half, and I cut mine the day before I plant them.
If you do it too early they can shrivel through water loss and I don't like putting freshly cut potatoes in the soil. It's probably perfectly OK, my grandfather used to cut them as he planted them, but that's the way I've always done it.

[hedgewizard]

The same - although instead of sulphur my grandad used wood ash. Works well enough if you've got some, but I'm not sure how necessary it is.

[wabbit955]

they done it on gardeners world last year

[pelmetman]

they done it on gardeners world last year

I dare say your right Wabbit............trouble is my short term memory rarely lasts a few days

[Mrs Moustoir]

My Dad used to do the same after they were chitted so he could make sure each piece had a decent sprout on it. He also dusted with the yellow sulphur powder before planting.

[bill1953]

I have done it too and agree with the comments re not planting straight away after cutting.

[bonniethomas06]

I guess if potato peelings sprout when they are in the compost bin, you can't need much potato attached to get the plant going!

[pelmetman]

Thanks people .............I'll use wood ash as I haven't any flowers of Sulphur.........and we get plenty of ash with the log burner

If the weather carries on like this we'll soon be planting

[elisabeth]

In the war people used to post just the potao eyes to their friends and rellies, and they would be succesful. Heard this on radio $ GQT recently.

[merlin]

I still have not found a supplier of seed pots here, well not one that can tell me the type anyway. However, every year my friend brings me a bag of Charlottes. I chit them and cut them up. I get quite a few. I don’t use any ash or anything though. They go really well. I cut them as I am planting them.