If your school isn’t participating in the Grow Your Own Potatoes project then you’re missing out! Potatoes are a staple ingredient in many healthy dishes. And you can boil, mash, bake or chip them as your please! The GYOP project is the perfect excuse to take learning outside and teach the nutritious benefits of benefits, as well as a spot of agriculture and basic biology.
Take a look at our Garden and Grow section to see how Playforce can help you grow your own potatoes!
What is chitting?
From Tuesday 23rd February it’s time to chit your potatoes. That means you need to start place your seed potatoes in the chitting tray and put them on the classroom windowsill, allowing the shoots to grow indoors. Make sure the sprouts face upwards and keep an eye on them for two weeks.
Why do we chit potatoes?
Chitting your potatoes allows them to grow a bigger and more evenly spaced crop. If you don’t chit your potatoes it may stunt their growth, cause gaps in between the rows and produce tubes that are far too small.
How do we chit potatoes
Fill egg trays or shallow plastic containers with approximately 25mm of dry peat or compost and place the seed potatoes in the boxes with the end with the most eyes pointing upwards. Make sure the boxes are situated in a light, cool room - preferably near the window. The trick is to make sure the room stays at a cool temperature as a warm room can cause seed potatoes to grow too fast and spindly. Ideally, you’ll want the shoots to be around 25mm long and quite sturdy
What children can learn from GYOP
The outdoor learning possibilities for schoolchildren during the GYOP project are almost endless. Some of our favourites include:
Inspired to grow even more vegetables? Check out our Fun Grow Guides to get started!
Looking for a quick and easy way to get started in your school or setting? Have a look here at our popular Garden & Grow range from Playforce Shop, or talk to one of our consultants about a bespoke project.