Potatoes

[Pepper]

Hi - I forgot to buy potatoes for dinner last night, so we went out and pulled out one of our potato plants, expecting the potatoes to still be quite small...much to our surprise, they were huge! So...my question is...is there any harm in leaving the potatoes in the ground at this stage when they are already so large, or should I dig them up now? I'm used to digging them up in September...

[B_BQ]

Hi Pepper:
If your potatoes are already large enough for you, then I would dig them up as needed. Once you've eaten one lot, you could then go on to the next plant. If you find they're getting even bigger, and that's how you want them, then leave them.
My feeling is that if they're ready you will not gain much by leaving them in the ground, and they may start to deteriorate.
I'm not an expert, but we've always preferred our potatoes on the smaller rather than larger size.
Maybe Durgan, or Inge, will see your post and be able to offer a more expert opinion.
~BBQ

[Pepper]

Thanks BBQ - I think we'll dig them up. I still can't get over how much better a homegrown potato tastes than a store bought potato. I think it's all in the texture...absolute heaven.

We got so many this year it seems compared to other years. The thing is, I don't recall there being a long flowering period. I had always thought I had to wait until the plants flowered and the flowers died before digging them up, but there were barely any flowers.

Anyway, we'll be having many feasts of potatoes! Thanks for your reply!

Pepper

[butterfly]

A potatoe question

Mine are just startig to blossum

There would be no new ones before they blossum. would there be??

[B_BQ]

I've always assumed that once the blossoms appear then no new potatoes will be forming underground. Those that have formed will continue to grow for a little while longer though. Once the blossoms have finished and the leaves start to die down, then that's usually the time to start harvesting.

[butterfly]

BBQ

Do you mean I would have new spuds now??

wow!!

I only planted them July 1st weekend

I didn't know they were deveolpe and grow that fast

Thanks BF

[Durgan]

Here are some potatoes recently dug

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?FOAWC 18 July 2008 Effect on a potato that is exposed to light

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?ZSMUK 4 August 2008 Digging some potatoes.

I dug four plants today to get a preliminary look at the merits of chitting or not chitting. It is hard to draw conclusions from this small sample. The Superior looks better not chitted, and the Chiefton looks slightly better chitted. I have more plants to compare. All plants are more than acceptable.

Potatoes: Tubers (small potatoes)are present when the blossoms appear. The longer the plant is left in the ground the larger and more the tubers. For full production the plant is left until it completely dies off. Leaving the tubers in the ground does no harm under reasonably normal conditions.

I usually plant a row for consumption when the tubers are small, and leave the remainder to mature.

My potatoes were planted on 17 of April and they are dying off now, but will be left o mature as long as there is some green on the stalks.

[DonnaZn2SK]

I leave my potatoes in the ground as long as possible...they keep better that way.

[Pepper]

Ok, thanks everyone - I've decided to leave them in the ground. I can see that the plants are just starting to die off, so I'll leave them be. I'm going to have some monstrous potatoes!

Pepper

[butterfly]

its been pouring rain since 10 days and the soil is soaking wet so I haveen't been able to hill them

The look like all tops

Will the tarters still grow? I have my doubts