Grow your own permalink
Messy Potatoes!
This discussion has been closed.
-
Message 1.Â
Posted by Grayfleur (U14543614) on Monday, 20th June 2011
My potatoes are all over the place after recent strong winds, with stalks bent this way and that. Would it do any harm to cut the foliage back a bit to tidy them up a bit? Thanks.
-
Message 2
Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Monday, 20th June 2011
I would just leave them!
To cut them off stops photosynthesis completely!
At least as they are, they will photosynthesise a bit. -
Message 3
Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Monday, 20th June 2011
I grow spuds in bags and the same thing happened to me last year. If you put in canes and wrap twine around the canes when first planting out the foilage grows inside the supports and stops it breaking off in high winds.
You may still be able to put in canes and wrap with twine to prevent any further damage if winds are forcast but risk damaging the spuds underground.
I'd suggest taking of any foilage which has already snapped, it's going to die any way. -
Message 4
Posted by salome2001 (U14914974) on Monday, 20th June 2011
agree with zoomer44, it's exactly what I did and they seem a lot happier for the support
-
Message 5
Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Monday, 20th June 2011
Strange how Personal situations can affect an answer!
For example; I would agree with the other answers given, if I was only growing a few plants, but personally,It would not enter my head to tie mine up, simply because I grow so many.
I have somewhere in the order of 150 plants on the go,that's a lot of canes and string
Hence my answer! ( I didn' t think in terms of small quabtities)
My point was" not to cut them off"
BTW I find my plants tend to support each other! -
Message 6
Posted by Grayfleur (U14543614) on Tuesday, 21st June 2011
Hi Many thanks for all the advice. Yes, it's great that we all have different situations, and therefore different experiences to share. Wow 150 plants -- that's amazing! No, I wouldn't have cut off all the leaves, as I'm aware of the need to photosynthesize -- just wondered about trimming them a bit. Having read all the advice, I've just trimmed off the already-broken stems that will die anyway, and have left the others just as they are. Each plant still has plenty of green. My main problem was that I couldn't get between the rows because of the disarray, so perhaps I planted too close together. A friend with more experience than me (not difficult!) suggested that perhaps I'd watered too much early on and that's why my plants were so leggy in the first place. I think I have too large an area to stake effectively, as kindly suggested, but perhaps I could divide into two smaller areas and try this next year (or just choose a less windy spot!) I guess the most important thing is that I am gathering plenty of delicious spuds! However, I am still taking all the advice on board to do better next year -- so thanks again!
-
Message 7
Posted by blueberry77 (U14703896) on Tuesday, 21st June 2011
It sounds like they need earthing-up a bit as well, if you have got a lot of top growth, and the earth will also give them support.
-
Message 8
Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Tuesday, 21st June 2011
One of the positives about these boards is the different growing situations.
I do tend to water my spuds alot and have noticed the ones grown on the allotment behind the house don't grow nearly as tall, they probably also have deeper roots as they rely on mother nature to provide them with water, mine soon dry out on a sunny day. The results are similar though for 1st and 2nd earlies as regards spud size.
I've 7 bags on the go at present with 6 spuds in each so nowhere near the scale of an allotment grower. One advantage of growing in bags is you can move a bag if it becomes infected with anything thus limiting stuff spreading that's airborn and you can throw away the spent compost if there are any nasties in it.
If you have loads of spuds using cane and twine may not be practical but they can be reused.
A smaller bed might be more practical, you need to decide how many spuds you need or want.7 bags will produce a steady run of fresh spuds come July right through to September or October and a late harvest will keep in the dark for a couple of months if you have a glut. -
Message 9
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Wednesday, 22nd June 2011
Earth up until it reaches heaven and Australia!
I did of course flung a boomerang when I got there but in so doing, trod on one or two branches and killed them. I really don't expect much potato on the roots of that non-foliage plant.
About this Board
Welcome to the new Gardening Board. If this is your first time, then make sure you check out the
or  to take part in a discussion.
The message board is currently closed for posting.
Weekdays 09:00-00:00
Weekends 10:00-00:00
This messageboard is .
Find out more about this board's
Search this Board
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú iD
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú navigation
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú links
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú © 2014 The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.