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Potatoes, when to chop the tops?

ShepsSheps Posts: 2,236
in Fruit & veg
Evening everyone...my spuds are due to be harvested on 5th August and the tops are starting to go over now, so should I cut them now or wait a little longer?





Thanks

Sheps...

Posts

  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    I would wait till the 5th of August.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I would forget about dates and wait until they are all yellow or brown.  At the moment, the leaves are still producing food and swelling the tubers.  You can leave the potatoes in the pots until you need some - just stop watering them once the tops have died and cover to prevent rain getting in.  They will keep better in the compost than if you lift them and store them in sacks (unless you have a slug problem, but unlikely in pots.) :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • ShepsSheps Posts: 2,236
    Thanks very much for the help guys, it's appreciated and I will do as advised.


  • glasgowdanglasgowdan Posts: 632
    edited July 2019
    You don't have to chop anything. Just harvest when ready. And go by the plants and your requirements, not a set date!
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    My thoughts exactly, I don’t chop anything off, just let the foliage die down naturally. Helps me remember where there are still potatoes to harvest...
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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