Potatoes flowers

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chrissie B

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Potatoes flowers
« on: June 12, 2020, 13:27 »
Some of my potatoes are getting signs of flowers should I let them go or pinch them out some plants about a foot high from ground level
Chrissie b
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mumofstig

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2020, 13:54 »
Unless you have small children who might eat them (they're poisonous) you may as well leave them on, it makes no difference to the crop.

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chrissie B

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2020, 14:43 »
Thanks thought they might sap the strength :D.
It's a bit weird realy how you can have one end of a plant that's poisonous and the other you can eat .
Chrissie b

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JimB

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2020, 16:29 »
.

Noticed my main crop, Sante, had flowers on, took them all off today!

They especially are under stress as we have had no rain for three months, so hence the flowers!

Watched a programme some time ago about the Scottish seed potato growers and they mentioned flowers and stress, in that the plants started flowering so that they would set seed as a means of reproducing and that it hindered tubers swelling.

They had men walking the furrows rouging any plants looking different or with flowers on.

If it's good enough for the professionals it is good enough for me.
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Mr Dog

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2020, 17:35 »
To de-flower or not appears not to be a straightforward choice

Reports of fruit and seed production inhibiting vegetative growth have been published on tomato (Murneek 1 932), cotton (Eaton 19'31), llarcissas (Kalin 1954) and potato (Proudfoot 1965). However, some reports on potato suggest there is no consistent relationship between fruit production and tuber yield (Kidane-Mariam and Peloquin 1974). (taken from https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.4141/cjps90-151 )

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JimB

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2020, 17:50 »
.

JimB 2020, says get them off!

 :D

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mumofstig

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2020, 18:39 »
 :lol: ask some gardener's a question, and how many answers do you get  :lol:
Nobody bothers on our allotment site, some of them have really pretty pink and purple coloured flowers, but each to their own  ;)
Can't see commercial ware potato growers going round picking off flowers from all their fields, somehow - the 'seed-potato' farms could do it, as the rows have to be checked and rouged, to keep the varieties pure.
potatoflowers.jpg
« Last Edit: June 12, 2020, 21:51 by mumofstig »

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Mr Dog

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2020, 18:57 »
:lol: ask some gardener's a question, and how many answers do you get  :lol:
Nobody bothers on our allotment site, some of them have really pretty pink and purple coloured flowers, but each to their own  ;)
Can't see commercial ware potato growers going round picking off flowers from all their fileld, somehow - the 'seed-potato' farms could do it, as the rows have to be checked and rouged, to keep the varieties pure.

True - ask 2 gardeners the same question and you'll get at least 3 different answers!

Like you, I don't know anyone who removes the flowers, not even some of the more eccentric OBs on my site. If flowers are a sign of stress, my plants must suffer every year  ;)

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AnneB

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2020, 21:28 »
I couldn't bear to remove these beautiful vivid violet blue flowers on my Sarpo Blue Danube potatoes.
So pretty.
20200612_132508.jpg

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TonyB.

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2020, 23:31 »
well last year I got just over 14 lbs of potatoes from one seed potato and I didn't remove the flowers. It was for a heaviest crop competition so planting in about 75% cow muck and lots of water may have helped.

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Vagabond

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2020, 21:10 »
Well this is a surprise. When I started growing potatoes my experienced gardener friend made me understand that I didn't need to touch the flowers and so I never have. I have always (touch wood) had a lovely crop of spuds.

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chrissie B

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #11 on: June 19, 2020, 20:32 »
I have no idea what season pot they are all I know is the plants are growing since hubby said them potatoes are sprouting think I will plant them and he did and then another 8 plant popped up musy be leftover ones from last year

So far they are green and getting bigger so.e with flowers
Last year  we got a bag from homebase and they were lovley were eating for ages .
Chrissie b

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snowdrops

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2020, 09:06 »
I’ve never removed flowers, never thought there was a need, in fact never heard of doing it. But I do now remove or pick up the resulting fruits as I don’t want potatoes growing from the seeds inside & as I have little grandchildren I’m a bit more careful as they see them as tomatoes
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jezza

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #13 on: July 13, 2020, 20:26 »
Hello I have been chatting to a man digging potatoes today he's from Walkers crisps I asked him about removing the flowers and whether it increased yields his answer is not repeatable on here the only reason that flowers are removed in Scotland is because the potatoes are certified as seed potatoes flower pollination could affect the potatoes and certification   jezza

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Judypumpkin

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Re: Potatoes flowers
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2020, 14:39 »
I thought that when the flowers die, that's a sign that the potatoes are ready to dig up. So how would you know when they are ready to dig up if you have removed the flowers?



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