Allotments 4 All

1. One of my potato plants (a main crop - either Picasso or Arran Victory) has got dark purply patches in the centre of the leaves at the top of the plant. I can't find it in any of my books. Is it a problem?

2. Will the tubers keep swelling after the plant has withered or do they stop growing when the plant stops?

3. Would charlottes keep better in the soil or in the fridge (in the short term - I'm only talking a couple of weeks here) after the plant has withered away?

4. Do I wait until the plant starts to die back or the flowers die back to see if my charlottes in the ground are of eating size?

(sorry about all the questions - this is what happens when I'm away for a week and a half!)

Re Q4, you could always do an exploratory dig to see. Just remove the earth until you can see the size of the tubers.

aqui, my charlottes were massive monsters - suggest you have a dig around and they will surprise you! :o ;D

Don't keep spuds in the fridge or they will go green!

Only have answer Charlotte one! I grow them every year and remove foliage as it dies down, they last for ages unless it's wet, definitely not fridge, I'd leave them where they are.  Lottie  :)

Quote from: aquilegia on July 25, 2005, 12:15:29
1. One of my potato plants (a main crop - either Picasso or Arran Victory) has got dark purply patches in the centre of the leaves at the top of the plant. I can't find it in any of my books. Is it a problem?

I bet they are the Arran Victory, I have grown these for a couple of years now and the purple leaves and stems are normal. Indeed the tubers will have purple skin.

Jerry

Thanks all! That's question 4 sorted. What about the others anyone? (Where's that Phil?!)

I will have a dig around. I was rather hoping to avoid it as it took forever to dig down to my anyas and I got all scratched up the arms in the process (I think I'm allergic to potato leaves too - really itchy!) Poor aqui! ;)

Will take spuds out of fridge and put them somewhere dark instead. And in future leave them in the ground until I need them. (It's just I couldn't think what to do on Saturday and I always love harvesting things, so being as the plant had died...!)

Jerry - that's good. They must be the Arrans then. I didn't bother to label them other than wriitng "maincrops" on the plan of the bed (I only had four maincrop spuds!)

Hi Guys,

Just a quick question under the thread of potato questions...

My desiree maincrop stalks have little green tomato shaped fruit on them - never seen these before on potato stalks.  What are they and can I eat them?  They really do look like toms - if I need to post a photo let me know...

Cheers.

they are potato fruit. they are poisonous - dont eat them

And the answer to Q2 is that the potatoes will stop swelling as the foliage dies down and the skins will start to set - leave in the ground for 14 days if you want to keep them for any length of time.