I pinch the flowers out. I only have a small garden so don't grow great loads; if I grew many plants then I probably wouldn't bother because it's effort multiplied.
Why do I pinch them out?
1. Taught to by my dad years ago
2. I've a three year old and I don't want her eating the fruit.
3. I always want to get maximum yield and quality - anything I can do to make the crop better, I will do.
4. Something not mentioned yet - flowers attract flying insects, and insects can carry diseases from other local potato plants that may have diseases, which potatoes are prone to, so I always suspect that this lowers the risk a little [ removing the flowers].
I'm tempted by the idea of growing from seed, if only I had more space!
Well I dug a couple of plants up this afternoon and was pretty pleased with what I found.
Not a bad crop, but I wondered...
I have some big ones, some little ones and if you look closely at the end of the plants some tiny ones that have barely stared growing. Do you think ive harvested at about the right time, or should i have waited longer for these tiny ones to grow a bit, or sooner so the big ones were a bit smaller...?
There are always some tiny ones, in my experience.
Make sure you remove even the tiniest ones from the soil or they will grow next year as 'volunteers'. I usually squash them flat and make sure they don't remain in the soil, or get in the compost heap.
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I pinch the flowers out. I only have a small garden so don't grow great loads; if I grew many plants then I probably wouldn't bother because it's effort multiplied.
Why do I pinch them out?
1. Taught to by my dad years ago
2. I've a three year old and I don't want her eating the fruit.
3. I always want to get maximum yield and quality - anything I can do to make the crop better, I will do.
4. Something not mentioned yet - flowers attract flying insects, and insects can carry diseases from other local potato plants that may have diseases, which potatoes are prone to, so I always suspect that this lowers the risk a little [ removing the flowers].
I'm tempted by the idea of growing from seed, if only I had more space!
Do you think i could try and harvest a few of my earlies even though they haven't flowered yet? Planted them on 16th March.
Thanks
JC
Enjoy
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Well I dug a couple of plants up this afternoon and was pretty pleased with what I found.
Not a bad crop, but I wondered...
I have some big ones, some little ones and if you look closely at the end of the plants some tiny ones that have barely stared growing. Do you think ive harvested at about the right time, or should i have waited longer for these tiny ones to grow a bit, or sooner so the big ones were a bit smaller...?
Thanks
I'd be pleased with that crop. Nice one!
Make sure you remove even the tiniest ones from the soil or they will grow next year as 'volunteers'. I usually squash them flat and make sure they don't remain in the soil, or get in the compost heap.
How do I know when to dig them up? When they have flowered or when they wilt ?