When are potatoes done?
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Also , your location and your weather has a lot to do with it. In Florida we plant potatoes in the early spring all the way through late fall. Sweet potatoes planted in August are ready for harvest for Thanksgiving.
Where are you located? Whtay type of poataoes are you growing?
Where are you located? Whtay type of poataoes are you growing?
Once the tops start to yellow it's time to dig!
I'll be putting a row of whites in a few more weeks!
I'll be putting a row of whites in a few more weeks!
KallieLashay
New Member
Glad you asked this question because I am about to plant some potatoes. The good thing about Georgia is that it's really never too late for anything. Everything just thrives around here.
Good Deal. Post some pictures of your harvest if you can. I have blue potatoes growing right now but we are so dry. The drought is bad this year and I am having issues getting enough water to them.
I just pulled one of my blue potatoes this mornig because it had died totally. It had 3 small slips on it. I think I will re-plant them. The others seem to be doing fine. Although I think it has gotten too hot and too dry.
Trax
Active Member
About 2 weeks after the tops die back. That's when the spuds do most of their growing.
We always plant our potatoes in sandy loam mounds and get big and new potatoes. The sand helps the ground hold water and potatoes need that. But the soil should be light and loamy, not heavy, and the best fertilizers are the ones with a lot of phosphorous and potassium but very little nitrogen. Nitrogen causes the potatoes to make tons of leaves but only tiny potatoes.
The normal waiting time is 3-4 months after planting but we dig around the base of the plants with our hands sometimes to look for new (baby) potatoes for roasts and stuff. We pulled out some purple new potatoes yesterday and cooked them. Those were about 2 inches wide.
But if the tops are turning yellow or dying it's prolly time to dig them up. The important thing is to keep the ground moist (but not soggy). They need a lot of water especially when it's hot.
Btw, we're Okies too! =D We live in central Oklahoma.
I also know a mulch method that works too. The potatoes actually grow in the mulch so it's easier to check them. You do have to use leaves or hay and not let the tubers get exposed to sunlight cause that can cause them to develop Solonine and that's toxic and makes the potatoes bitter.
If you wanna know more about that, let me know.
We always plant our potatoes in sandy loam mounds and get big and new potatoes. The sand helps the ground hold water and potatoes need that. But the soil should be light and loamy, not heavy, and the best fertilizers are the ones with a lot of phosphorous and potassium but very little nitrogen. Nitrogen causes the potatoes to make tons of leaves but only tiny potatoes.
The normal waiting time is 3-4 months after planting but we dig around the base of the plants with our hands sometimes to look for new (baby) potatoes for roasts and stuff. We pulled out some purple new potatoes yesterday and cooked them. Those were about 2 inches wide.
But if the tops are turning yellow or dying it's prolly time to dig them up. The important thing is to keep the ground moist (but not soggy). They need a lot of water especially when it's hot.
Btw, we're Okies too! =D We live in central Oklahoma.
I also know a mulch method that works too. The potatoes actually grow in the mulch so it's easier to check them. You do have to use leaves or hay and not let the tubers get exposed to sunlight cause that can cause them to develop Solonine and that's toxic and makes the potatoes bitter.
If you wanna know more about that, let me know.
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Well I dug potatoes last week. I believe I had around 15 red pontiac plants and 15 white potatoes plants. I think the average was a little more than a pound per plant. Maybe 30-35 lbs of potatoes. I was a little disappointed in the pay out. Seems like I have had more potatoes off half the plants in the past.I am going to try for another round. I used seed potatoes from the nursery this yr. In the past I have used grocery store potatoes and seemed to have better luck with them. I will try the grocery store version this time.
After I pulled the plants and rounded up the harvest . I took some dead leaves (a lot of dead leaves) and tilled them into the soil. I am going to maybe add some bone meal as well. I think I even may have some ashes from the smoker to throw in their too.
After I pulled the plants and rounded up the harvest . I took some dead leaves (a lot of dead leaves) and tilled them into the soil. I am going to maybe add some bone meal as well. I think I even may have some ashes from the smoker to throw in their too.
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