potato question

jaherns 7/22/2012, 10:35 am

I finally checked my potatoes to see if anything was growing below ground and when I pulled up 3 plants this is what I got. So I am happy. But, on 2 of the plants the seed potato was still intact and on the 3rd plant nothing. Why is the seed potato still intact? I thought it would have disappeared into the soil by now? 2 of the plants had just the one potato. That was a bit disappointing. I thought I would have multiples on one plant. Can't wait for supper!

Jodi

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**Turan** 7/22/2012, 10:52 am

Aren't you pulling them about 1-2 months early for your area? You should be able to find some new potatoes now, but they would not be done setting them or growing them. Make sure the ones left are getting plenty of water, potatoes need more water than is obvious, and it would be hard to over water them in a raised bed situation.

GWN 7/22/2012, 11:04 am

I would have to agree with TUran on this one.
HOWEVER, I have a tendency to just LOVE pulling the potatoes and often pull them WAY before it is time. ...
And of course end up with WAYY less potatoes than I would otherwise have had.

I think it is a case of delayed gratification... some of us are better at waiting.. Sad

**Turan** 7/22/2012, 11:23 am

GWN wrote:
HOWEVER, I have a tendency to just LOVE pulling the potatoes and often pull them WAY before it is time. ...

I have just come in from the garden where I was feeling around under the potato plant that came up first this spring. I had a hard time not just pulling it up. In fact I have a REALLY strong urge to pull all the potatoes and then plant broccolli raab and bok choi in that area. I told myself I had to wait until I had finished eating all the potatoes in the house already. So I am making a BIG potato salad. Laughing

**llama momma** 7/22/2012, 12:07 pm

When I planted 4 potato seeds per square, the first 2 plants pulled produced exactly 3 pounds and the other 2 plants produced 1pound, 3-1/2 oz. Total of 4 pounds, 3-1/2 ounces for a square of Yukon Gold. I don't know why there is such a difference among plants or if its normal.

GWN 7/22/2012, 12:11 pm

When I planted 4 potato seeds per square, the first 2 plants pulled produced exactly 3 pounds and the other 2 plants produced 1pound, 3-1/2 oz. Total of 4 pounds, 3-1/2 ounces for a square of Yukon Gold. I don't know why there is such a difference among plants or if its normal.

It seems you might have pulled them before their time. Perhaps at least some of them are more late potatoes and perhaps might produce more later in the summer ???

cheyannarach 7/22/2012, 12:14 pm

See how green the plant still was. You want the tops of the plants to die off turn yellow and look sick, lol, this is when the energy from the plant leaves the foilage and gives all the energy to the taters growing underneath.

http://www.ehow.com/info_8459734_pull-potatoes.html

**llama momma** 7/22/2012, 12:27 pm

Well I don't know. The stems were flopped over and withered down to nothing. They were all planted the same time. The 2 plants I pulled this morning were in the ground at least a week longer than the first two yet produced almost 2 pounds less. Maybe there was a difference in the compost nutrition even though plants were a few inches apart. Or maybe the eyes were much smaller to begin with if it even matters..

cheyannarach 7/22/2012, 12:36 pm

Weird Llamamomma, what kind did you plant?

**llama momma** 7/22/2012, 12:39 pm

Yukon Gold

**Turan** 7/22/2012, 12:50 pm

Variation between plants is normal even if everything in their conditions is identical but your yield seems low to me, even if they all did the same. I had something similar happen when unknown to me half of a potato tower was in the rain shadow of the other half. Potatoes need heavy amounts of water. The tops can look fine but there won't be enough to make tubers.

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