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Large potato plants

InTheMoorlandsInTheMoorlands Posts: 161
in Fruit & veg
This is the third year of us growing potatoes.  I put them in containers in the first week in April but they did little until around the middle of May.  They have now grown well and show no signs of the stalks rotting down (they are behind the bean plant):


Currently well over five feet tall (including the containers) they must be the tallest potato plants that we have grown.  Should I just wait until the stalks die off or should I consider doing something else?  Just a bit puzzled as other potato plants haven't grown like this.  The potatoes are Maris Piper same as the ones I've grown previously.

I might have some large healthy plants but i'm a bit concerned what the potatoes will be like given the circumstances.
At about 750 feet on the western edge of The Pennines.  Clay soil.  

Posts

  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    Patience, grasshopper. Maincrop varieties like Maris Piper take 14-16 weeks to harvest so you probably have another 4 weeks to go yet. Wait at least until the flowers have died out before having a furtle in one of the containers to see if you have spuds.
  • InTheMoorlandsInTheMoorlands Posts: 161
    Hi steephill

    OH frequently takes leaves off our cucumbers and peppers as she wants the plants to grow vegetables not leaves.  These potatoes seem to be getting larger by the day so I just wondered.  I have read articles about cutting back potato plants but this seems a bit strange to me:


    I just wondered if anyone had done this.

    At about 750 feet on the western edge of The Pennines.  Clay soil.  
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    I don't think any of us would regard that as pruning. It is just normal practice to cut done the foliage once it has wilted then leave the spuds in the ground for a couple of weeks to harden up their skins before harvest and storing.
    As your plants are still growing strongly I would let then get on with it as they are obviously healthy. As the article says the leaves feed the tubers so don't remove any healthy ones. I am growing Charlotte in the ground this year and they are waist high at the moment and I have had the same results with other varieties in the past.
    Perhaps @Dovefromabove can comment as she comes from a potato farming family?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Farmers remove the foliage of maincrop potatoes once the potatoes have reached the desired size. Thus stops the leaves feeding the tubers and they stop growing and the skin ‘sets’ so they’ll keep better in storage. 

    New potatoes with skins that can be rubbed off won’t store.  

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





  • war garden 572war garden 572 Posts: 664
    compared to several of my potato plants a few years ago
    the plants in picture seem quite small. 
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    If they are not in full sun  they may be just stretching for the light. Good top growth will feed good tubers.
    AB Still learning

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