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Spuds or dahlias?

josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
in Plants
Does anyone have any tips for finding potatoes when they're ready to harvest?  No matter how carefully I dig over my potato plot, come the spring and up pop all the ones I missed.  And they're not all tiny.  Most years it's just annoying, but it's worse this year because I've planted dahlias where last year's spuds were.  Now all these green leaves are appearing and I can't tell if they're second generation spuds or my precious dahlias!  Please could someone post a picture of what dahlias look like when they're just breaking the surface?

Posts

  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Bumping my own post because I'd really like some advice!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Let's have some pics  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ThankthecatThankthecat Posts: 421
    When dahlias first start coming through the soil they do look rather like potatoes! Can't you just have a gentle firtle around under the soil - dahlia tuber and spuds look very different so I would have though that's the way to go. 
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Generally, young potato leaves are hairy, and young dahlia leaves are shiny.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Pansy, I can buy a big bag of spuds for a pound, I’m not eating dahlia tubers at that price😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Thanks everyone, this is helpful.
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