Print Page - Potato tops still green, would you harvest anyway?

Title: Potato tops still green, would you harvest anyway?
Post by: slug_hunter on October 12, 2009, 19:31:33

Hi All,

I have already had about 4 rows of potatoes die back and have left them a couple of weeks before harvesting them.
3 rows are still very green on top, should I wait for them to die back?
Would you harvest them as it is getting quite late or leave them a while longer?

Opinions welcome!

Thanks in advance,
Slug Hunter :)

Title: Re: Potato tops still green, would you harvest anyway?
Post by: cornykev on October 12, 2009, 19:38:36

I would have thought all the spud leaves would be dead and composted by now. The ones that have died back, I would have dug them out and left on the soil to dry, the ones that have greenery on them I would have a firkle and see what there like.
The ones I left in last year got a bit of slug damage, with the weather getting wetter there will be more slugs and will be harder to dig out. Well thats my three pennith for what its worth. ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: Potato tops still green, would you harvest anyway?
Post by: Slug_killer on October 13, 2009, 00:04:34

Dig 'em up before it gets too cold/dark to go down the lottie

Title: Re: Potato tops still green, would you harvest anyway?
Post by: slug_hunter on October 13, 2009, 18:16:54

Thanks for the advice... I now know what I am doing this weekend! ;D

Title: Re: Potato tops still green, would you harvest anyway?
Post by: saddad on October 13, 2009, 21:49:18

If they are an old variety like Arran Victory or PFA then as long as they have tops they will be bulking up... apart from the possibility of slug damage you should leave them as long as possible... I'd go down this weekend for a trial row, we'll probably have had our first proper frost here by then anyway... :-\

Title: Re: Potato tops still green, would you harvest anyway?
Post by: slug_hunter on November 03, 2009, 13:45:35

Well I did get down and harvest 3x 40ft rows (with some help from my parents) and there was a small amount of slug damage and a couple of buckets of rotten tubers. The rest have dried out a little and been sacked in the garage. Yield looks good and the biggest was about 1ft long by 6inch wide... probably my biggest ever potato! The best variety was called Markies and I hadn't grown it before so may give it another go next year.

Title: Re: Potato tops still green, would you harvest anyway?
Post by: chriscross1966 on November 03, 2009, 17:57:10

Quote from: slug_hunter on November 03, 2009, 13:45:35
Well I did get down and harvest 3x 40ft rows (... biggest was about 1ft long by 6inch wide... probably my biggest ever potato! The best variety was called Markies and I hadn't grown it before so may give it another go next year.

:o Lawks.... I gotta get me some of those!, do you have a weight for it?....what's the general yield like compared to say Desiree?......

Allotments 4 All

Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: slug_hunter on October 12, 2009, 19:31:33