[Rowan]

Hi

My main crops seem bigger than my second earlies although planted at the same time, and they have also started to flower. SHould i let them flower or is it best to remove them?

Also is it the case for all tatties that you let the foliage die down before harvesting? I'm new to growing them an am a bit unsure.

Thanks

[peterjf]

i have read somewhere it is now thought that taking the flowers from the plants is better

 because it directs the energies back to the roots , away from producing seeds ,

ill be removing my flower heads as soon as they appear ,

[Rowan]

I'll do that too then....

the flowers are quite pretty tho!!

[DD.]

The energy the flowers and any subsequent fruit take from the plant is surely minimal. Compare what's up top to what lies beneath.

I don't recall seeing anyone in nearby Lincolnshire going around the acres & acres of potato fields removing flowers, which I sure they'd so if it was worthwhile.

[sunshineband]

I never take flowers off  :ohmy:and the spuds are great 

[blackisgreen]

thats because i do it at night DD lol
i am the phantom potato flower chopper ........
no in all honesty i would have thought the oppsite that the potatoe would concentrate more on new flower growth then root growth but hey spose it might be worth an experiment

[DD.]

I hardly think that given the amount of flowers (if any) & subsequent fruit (if any), that the plant is concentrating all it's energy into flower production.

It'll be putting it's energy into it's most efficient means of reproducing itself which is

.......................................?

Answer upside down on page 193 of this book.

BTW - beware of phantom flower snipping - I'm in Spalding this weekend and will on the look out!

[Salmo]

Never heard of anyone cutting off potato flowers. A potato patch in full flower is one of the joys of early Summer.

Start digging your earlies as soon as they are big enough. I sacrifice the first few plants with very few potatoes on them just for that first of the season taste.

When you have finished the earlies move on to the second earlies. If you have planted the right amount of earlies the timing is just when the seconds are at their best, before they mature and loose their sweetness.

When you have finished the seconds the maincrop will be ready, if you planted the right amount of seconds.

[aelf]

leave the poor flowers alone! I have a glut of spuds every year and have never removed a single flower. Spend the time weeding instead 

[sclarke624]

In my amateur gardening mag on page 20 Bob (shiver, why does his page alsways have a big photo of him on it) Flowerdew says under bobs tips to remove flowers from potatoes as this can improve the crop by up to a ton per acre.

I won't be doing the flower thing though.  Haven't heard it before.  Maybe thats where you read it peterjf.

[aelf]

In my amateur gardening mag on page 20 Bob (shiver, why does his page alsways have a big photo of him on it) Flowerdew says under bobs tips to remove flowers from potatoes as this can improve the crop by up to a ton per acre.

I won't be doing the flower thing though.  Haven't heard it before.  Maybe thats where you read it peterjf.

That's about 1 potato extra per plant, if that. Doubt it's worth the effort 

[Iain@JBA]

Removing the flowers does allow the potatoes to grow slightly larger and is a practice commonly used by exhibition growers just to get every advantage they can. Many of my potatoes have just broken flower today and I want to exhibit some so it looks like the flowers will be off. I will leave some flowers on some plants and see if there is a difference.

[sunshineband]

Well we carefully scraped away the soil in the side of the ridges by PJs and Maris Peer, and they both have potatoes about an inch and a half across............. I wish you could have ssen th children's faces. 

Talk about awe and wonder .......................................
 :happy: :happy:

[Trillium]

I'm with DD on not taking off the flowers. Mostly it's an indication that the tubers are finally forming up. Whoever first came up with the idea of picking off the potato flowers obviously hasn't got enough to do.