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Posted by natsy (U14883854) on Sunday, 29th May 2011
Hi there
I think I have read before on this messageboard then when potatoes start to flower, you should pick the flowers off. Is this right? My potatoes have small "buds" on them at the moment, the flowers aren't open; should I pick these off? Many thanks
Presumably you can grow potatoes from seed, ie not small tubers,(sets?) if you let the flower grow,or is it not like that?
As potato flowers can be quite pretty, I would leave them. However, if they start growing fruit (which look like small green tomatoes), then I would remove them.
Potato fruit are poisonous and you want the plants energy to go into making tubers, not fruit.
Garda: Yes, if you let the fruit ripen, the seed can be sown and small potato plants will grow. However, they will only grow very small potatoes in the first year. Those can be collected and used as seed potatoes the next year. These may be hybrids and not true to type, or not grow very well, but this is how new varieties originate.
Cheers -- Bob
Merci Bob. I probably won't try it!
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