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should I be cutting my potato leaves?

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  • should I be cutting my potato leaves?


    my spuds have been in bags for about 10 weeks and the leaves are drooping and some turning yellow. Do some or all of them need cutting back? I was going to wait another couple of weeks to do this as they are maincrop. Thanks for looking.
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  • #2
    That's a lot of foliage! I never get anything like that much... but I don't feed or water too regularly.

    I'd be very interested to know the variety and yield when you harvest.

    As you might guess, I've no idea about pruning anything other than damaged leaves as I've never had enough to prune!
    The proof of the growing is in the eating.
    Leave Rotten Fruit.
    Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potasium - potash.
    Autant de têtes, autant d'avis!!!!!
    Il n'est si méchant pot qui ne trouve son couvercle.

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    • #3
      For main crop I'd keep them growing for as long as possible. That is a huge amount of foliage, what feed have they been getting?
      "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."

      PS. I just don't have enough time to say hello to everyone as they join so please take this as a delighted to see you here!

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      • #4
        Main crop need about 22 weeks. The foliage looks good to me it would seem this year a lot of folks myself included have had plants grow a great haulm. For main crop don't cut the haulm back let it die naturally it is supposed to put its energy back into the spuds. Don't know if that's one of those old wives tales but it can't do any harm.

        This year due to the growth of the haulm on my spuds I changed to a hot potash feed earlier than I normally would to help with tuber growth. Maybe you could consider that and of course keep them very well watered during this hot spell.

        There's a 50 gallon 225ltr plastic water tank hidden under there somewhere.
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        Potty by name Potty by nature.

        By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


        We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

        Aesop 620BC-560BC

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        • #5
          Just a bog standard liquid veg feed with potash and nitrogen. They are fed once a week. They are albert bartlett roosters (I think). I have some in the ground that have been in for 7 weeks and the foliage is exploding on them as well. Of course the slugs are having a cheeky nibble too.

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          • #6
            Thanks pots. Other people I know that grow spuds have also said to let the foliage die back naturally. I just hope the dont start getting blight if I leave the foliage on for another 4-6 weeks.

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            • #7
              I would change to something like tomorite more potash, less nitrogen. We only need nitrogen for green growth.
              Potty by name Potty by nature.

              By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


              We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

              Aesop 620BC-560BC

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Chilli-head Huw View Post
                Thanks pots. Other people I know that grow spuds have also said to let the foliage die back naturally. I just hope the dont start getting blight if I leave the foliage on for another 4-6 weeks.
                If the foliage does get blighted, just chop it off when you notice it and the tubers underneath will still be fine.
                My gardening blog: In Spades, last update 30th April 2018.
                Chrysanthemum notes page here.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Chilli-head Huw View Post
                  Thanks pots. Other people I know that grow spuds have also said to let the foliage die back naturally. I just hope the dont start getting blight if I leave the foliage on for another 4-6 weeks.
                  The problem being there won't be anything worth eating under there at this stage of their growth.
                  Potty by name Potty by nature.

                  By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


                  We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

                  Aesop 620BC-560BC

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                  • #10
                    I can never understand why the books say to harvest potatoes as soon as they finish flowering. Maybe if you want a first taste of tiny new potatoes, but for a main crop you want as much goodness to go into the potatoes as possible. Plants manufacture food (sugars and starch) in their leaves, using the green pigment chlorophyll in a process called photosynthesis. While there is green in the leaves, the plant is still making food, and it will be transporting this to the tubers as that is where in the natural state it will be banking on surviving the winter and making new plants. Once the green has gone there is not much food manufacture going on, and you can cut the foliage back and harvest your potatoes.
                    Last edited by Penellype; 25-07-2014, 08:55 PM.
                    A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy

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                    • #11
                      Will be leaving the foliage to go naturally then. I have just popped out to have a look at the ones in the ground and the foliage is even bigger. Photo to come tomorrow. Cant wait for those spuds but they have only beenin the ground for about 7 weeks.

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                      • #12
                        7 weeks is nowhere near long enough. Sit on your hands and be patient!
                        A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Chilli-head Huw View Post
                          Will be leaving the foliage to go naturally then. I have just popped out to have a look at the ones in the ground and the foliage is even bigger. Photo to come tomorrow. Cant wait for those spuds but they have only beenin the ground for about 7 weeks.
                          Well you could have a long wait , like another 2 or 3 months. It looks like you have fed then too much nitrogen, as has been said Tomorite is a suitable low nitrogen fertiliser.
                          photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

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                          • #14
                            Hi,
                            Bit of a daft question but if you use Tomorite do you use it the same strength formula as toms or do you have to strength or weaken the formula?
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                            • #15
                              We use same strength if that helps
                              Nannys make memories

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