[jlb664]

hello - we put in some early potatoes and they are now really tall - we have been earthing them up - a fellow allotment holder told us to take off the flowers as they would be taking the goodness from the plants which we have done - when do we have a peek to see how the potatoes are coming along?

[DD.]

Never heard of that before.

I suppose some energy will go into the production of the seed head, (if any), but I would have thought that this was so small in proportion to the amount that's still going into the tuber, that it wouldn't be worth wasting you own energy doing it! The amount going into just the flowers is even smaller.

Never seen a farmer going round his fields either, come to that.

You'll have to grovel in the dirt to see if there's anything underneath, or until the bloke that told you this starts to dig his up!

Moved this into the 'Grow Your Own' fourm BTW.

[gobs]

Now, I haven't done studies in this, but would think, the tubers form when flowering starts and after, ie with maturity, as in strawberries, they are the same part of the plants, stolons, it is unnecessary to remove the flowers.

Also had potatoes flowering twice, with very good crop.

[amberleaf]

Some one told me to take off the flowers because they would turn to poisonous fruit and children might pick them and eat them and get ill.

The same person made a fuss about a neighbour growing lupins because children might eat the pods. (Thinking they were peas)

Told them that they could be held responsible, if it happened.

You never know who is right or wrong.

[Hazel Anne]

When can we have a peak at the Charlottes?Mine are in flower too

[gobs]

You can have a peak any time, if you are gentle, they won't get hurt.

If we followed that rule, Amber, wouldn't grow much of a such much.

[Anton]

So if they are in flower they might be ready to eat?
I get confused every year. I thought it was three weeks after flowering?
By the way, I sprayed my potatoes and tomatoes with that copper mixture stuff a week ago. How often does this operation need to be repeated?

Anton

[gobs]

About fortnightly, I think.

They may or may not be any good to eat. Depends on variety and conditions, but can be, so it's worth a look.

You have to wait for foliage to die back with main crops, so the tubers mature, as you want to store them.