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abloom_gw

Lots of leaves, no potatoes

abloom
15 years ago

I have a few rows of the most beautiful tall, leafy, flowering potato plants. All that's missing are the potatoes! I interplanted some with other vegetables, planning to pull them up early for new potatoes. But three of the four plants I gently dislodged had not even any tiny potatoes started. Do they need potassium or some other substance, and if so, can anyone suggest an organic source? Thanks!

Comments (11)

  • fostina1
    15 years ago

    me too. first garden, maybe impatient?

  • momamamo
    15 years ago

    Hi! I'm new to growing potatoes as well, but I read that the baby potatoes show up 2-3 weeks after flowering. For mature tubers you wait til the plants die back.

    So it looks like we all have to wait! Maureen

  • tcstoehr
    15 years ago

    If you're new to potatoes as I am, I would suggest waiting until the vines die down to the ground. Then, either you will have potatoes, or you won't. You likely will. If not, there's not much you can do about it now. The point being that you might be digging too early.

  • grandpop1
    15 years ago

    I'm usually able to gravel out potatoes when they bloom - plants probably 2' above hill. They will generally be just under where the ground is cracked. If you get alot of folage and no taters, you likely used too much nitrogen. I have large potatoes and my plants have yet to die back.

  • rdback
    15 years ago

    Hi abloom,

    Here's a organic fert source for 'ya. This is my first year of trying Root Crops Alive, so the jury's still out. I have (and do) use some of their other products with great results in prior years.

    Good luck and have a great growing season!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Root Crops Alive by Gardens Alive

  • Lcgrace Mahoney
    15 years ago

    I have a question but I'm trying to figure out how to "word" it. Please forgive me! lol

    I'm growing potatoes on a bed of newspaper and covered with rotten hay. I piled on all the hay and it has settled down to the point where about 8 inches of the plant is exposed. I'm having "good" dirt brought in this weekend. I want to shovel it over the top to make a "hill".

    Do the potatoes grow at the bottom of the plant where the seed potato is? 1/2 way up? or near the top? I'm trying to figure out how to pile on the dirt around my potato patch! Traditionally, I know that you "hill" til just the tops stick out.

    I just noticed flowers on one of the plants....is it too late to pile on the dirt?

    Thanks so much! Wish me luck! LC Grace

  • Michael
    15 years ago

    Good luck LC Grace. If you don't like digging deep into the ground to get your tasty little nuggets when they are ready, try burying the seed pieces 2" deep in the soil. Then as the tops grow, start hilling them with grass clippings and/or straw. Taters don't care whats covering them but if you let the slightest amount of light on the tubers, they'll turn green (don't eat the green!). Tubers generally form from the seed piece depth up several inches if they are hilled up several inches or more.

  • purplemage
    15 years ago

    here's a pic of how potatoes grow. there are also numerous threads here about how they grow and ideas of different ways to grow them...do a search, you'll find lots of good info!

    {{gwi:53853}}

  • Lcgrace Mahoney
    15 years ago

    Great diagram of the potato plant! I've been following the posts and trying it with the hay this year....our ground is rocks, ledges and hard clay. It's working beautifully...now, to get these piled high!

    I just wasn't sure if the potatoes form in the top part of the hill or down lower towards the seed potato. I should be getting a few at least! Thanks again! LC Grace

  • Issah Christ
    6 years ago

    Its the result of watering when potato is very young, in our village main crop is potato they dont water potato when its very young, watering starts about one month of planting, i tested this in yard watering some potato when they are very young and some potato not first potatos develope very tall leaves very small potato second one was normal, ppl here say dont water plants when they are very young so their roots search for water and develop strong roots idk this one if its true, but about potato its true, i need to be sure about this about other plants so not water them when theyre young, its not true about plants thats for only edible leaves like spinach but its true about sunflower i teated also sunflower