Topic: potatoes

[janie]

Did anyone hear Bob Flowerdew's advice on Gardeners Question Time to de-flower potatoes? I can't quite bring myself to do it although I'm not sure why. Has anyone else done this and was it successful?

[philcooper]

The idea is to stop the plant diverting energy into seed production in the same way that you dead head bulbs.

A friend of mine who grows over 300 varieties swears by the removal of the flower heads and he's won an RHS medal for potato displays

Phil

[janie]

OK I will bite the bullet and get rid of those flowers

[aquilegia]

presumably, though, if you're growing earlies and harvesting when the flowers open, you needn't bother with flower removal - right?

[tim]

I harvest my earlies way before the flowers show - so no problem!! = Tim

[Les_Woof]

How do you manage to get earlies before they flower....

We pulled one of earlies up about 10 days ago which had flowered about 4 days before hand, we got 3 tatties off it one the size of a golf ball the other were no bigger that marbles.

It was suggested to me that we wait about a fortnight after flowering to lift them......

Any advise? Is this right? I don't know what to do.....at present we are leaving them and will try another plant this weekend.

Les

[aquilegia]

Les - can't you carefully dig down by hand to see if there are any worthwhile spuds yet? I shall be doing that tonight (although we might end up having to have pasta instead!)

[kenkew]

I took up two rows last week which hadn't flowered. The 'seeds' were only sprouting kitchen spuds but I got about 6 kilo's. Normally I let the plant flower, then I cut the haulm to about 3" off the ground, wait two weeks and start lifting.

[philcooper]

Ken, Why do you cut the leaves off as this stops the plant growing?

[Multiveg]

I cut the haulm, then wait 2-3 weeks before digging them up - this I did for maincrop last year (the wait is a precaution against blight spores infecting the tubers)

[adrianhumph]

Hi all, :D
            On the subject of cutting of the haulms, Is it ok to do this on early varieties ??? I understand that it is better to leave the spuds in the ground and dig as required but the haulms are all falling down and very untidy so can i lop these off ???
                                                                Adrian.

[tim]

Surely, the only reason you chop them is for store pots? Earlies won't get near the store in this house!! Let 'em be! = Tim=

[philcooper]

As fare as I know, the advised time to cut off hauylms is if they are effected by blight.

In this case cut off and burn.

If the potatoes are to be stored, leave the ground for 3 weeks for the blight spores to die. then dig up the potatoes, leave them on the surface for a few hours for the skins to harden

If the potatoes are not to be stored, lift and eat

As I said earlier, I don't know of any advantage in cutting of the haulms prior to lifting the potatoes except in the case of blight - or if you are planning to use a mechanical harvester!!!

[Wicker]

We wait until flowers have come and gone before lifting, often the shaws are starting to die back before we do this with the lates.  Have to admit that left to myself I would probably try earlier but over the years Mr W has proved his point so I now let him think he is in control by waiting but really it's because I think he is right.

We never cut shaws down unless they look diseased in any way.