Potato plants fallen over but look healthily green

clematisdorset · June 2023

Overnight, my potato plants have all leaned and fallen over. There are possibly some green buds developing. I watered them last night. Soil feels damp. Would it be worth uprooting the potatoes before proper big buds or flowers emerge? I have never grown potatoes before. Thankyou.

Dovefromabove · June 2023

Leave them be … they’ll sort themselves out. Certainly don’t uproot them!

Are they in a well lit spot?

what variety are they and when were they planted?

Sheps · June 2023

A couple of mine did the same earlier in the week, though I'm sure mine was down to wind blowing them over as they're very tall.

They're not the most sturdy of plants, so I've put in some plant supports to try and help on windy days.

JennyJ · June 2023

Mine always flop (they're in bags). As long as the stems aren't broken off they're still photosynthesising and feeding the growing tubers. Maybe they flop to spread out and catch more sunlight?

clematisdorset · June 2023

Thank you all

yes, they are in a well-lit spot @Dovefromabove getting sun from about now for at least four hours. Maybe they will perk up now the sun will be directly on them. The variety for these is Charlotte, planted on 11/4/23, exactly two months ago. Yes @Sheps mine are very tall too. Your plant support is virtually invisible, what a great idea. Amazingly no wind here for ages but I am sure that will change soon! You might well be right @jennyj about the sunlight, because today was the first cloudy day in several weeks. I am concerned that they will snap, so if I can support them I will. I only have string and bamboo canes, but it might help. Mine are in a tub on a stool, so they are falling down almost vertically but not quite due to other nearby tubs breaking their fall.

I am glad I asked, before uprooting them - I will not be uprooting them now. There is a potato shortage on isn't there, so if these potatoes 'bear fruit' I will be very happy!

Dovefromabove · June 2023

They should be ready to harvest in about 8 weeks ish.

Actually four hours of sunlight at this time of year isn’t actually very much, so it may be that your potato foliage has got a bit lanky and therefore flopped a bit.

You’ll see here, where the plants get sunlight from dawn to dusk, they are quite stocky plants
https://www.th3musketeers.co.uk/home.php#growers

But if you’ve only got a spot with less light to grow them in then it might be an idea to put a few shortish twiggy branches around them when you plant them … I wouldn’t stick anything into the ground now as you might spear the growing potatoes!

Sheps · June 2023

Mine are getting 10hrs of direct sunlight each day now and like @clematisdorset potatoes they are quite tall, all except the Charlottes funnily enough.

Dovefromabove · June 2023

The thing about potatoes being grown in pots is that you can’t keep earthing them up, which would help to support the foliage.

Sheps · June 2023

Very good point @Dovefromabove I've ordered another 10 plant supports ready for next year and I'll have them already in place as the plants get taller.

Dovefromabove · June 2023

Sheps … is there a reason why your potatoes are in pots rather than in that soil? I would always grow them in the soil if at all possible because as you earth them up the stems underground grow more tubers, so you’re actually increasing the yield.

Sheps · June 2023

I suppose I've just followed on from everything else in the garden @Dovefromabove as everything is in raised beds or pots of varying sizes.

I don't have any open soil in the garden, other than the soil that is covered in grass.

So, potatoes in containers is an easy option as I no longer have the enthusiasm to dig a veg bed 😅

Containers have been ok for me in terms of yield.

Potato plants fallen over but look healthily green

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