Berries on my potato plants???

[Ann-Marie]

Hi folks.
My potato plants flowered about 3 weeks ago so I cut the flowers off (was that right?)
Each plant now has a bunch of 5 berries hanging from it, under the leaves. Is this normal and do I doanything with them?
Can I still harvest or should I wait?
Thanks, it's my first ever crop and I'm baffled, it doesn't take a lot!

[Martin H]

I always pick the berries off to save the plant wasting energy on them, some people don't bother. Just don't try and eat them, like all green parts of the plant they are poisonous.

[Martin H]

Oh, and for maximum crop wait for the foliage to die before harvesting.

[Ann-Marie]

Thanks. Martin, off to the compost bin then. I had hoped they could be planted or something

[Noosner]

Apparently you can plant them, Anne-Marie, as they contain potato seed - but it isn't really worth doing because apparently the cross-pollination is massive. But could be fun as an experiment!

[bearded bloke]

Have a read of this thread for a bit more info Ann-Marie .... http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ers_19573.html

[poly]

If you cut all the flowers off then I'm not sure how you can have berries containing True potato seed as the berries are the fruits growing from pollinated flowers?

Are they growing from the main stem of on little stalks?

[Ann-Marie]

I might pop a few in a pot purely to satisfy my curiousity. What do you mean by cross contamination? Sorry , I really. am a novice!
The berries are in little bunches like grapes, under the foliage so you really have. to look to find them, one bunch on each of 6 plants and all on the right hand side, maybe because the left is a little more shaded?

[starloc]

They do give potatoes first year, somewhere there was a long thread on it

There is this thread as well

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eed_66885.html

[starloc]

Found it, a whole thread about growing potatoes from seed, I knew it was there somewhere!

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...9-a_20577.html

[kitchengardener]

i had one my potatos! thought it was a rouge tomato that had escaped

[Ann-Marie]

Well from what I've now read, whatever you do don't put it in a salad lol.
Thanks for the links BB and Starloc.
I will leave them until I harvest then pot them and see.

[Noosner]

I might pop a few in a pot purely to satisfy my curiousity. What do you mean by cross contamination? Sorry , I really. am a novice!
The berries are in little bunches like grapes, under the foliage so you really have. to look to find them, one bunch on each of 6 plants and all on the right hand side, maybe because the left is a little more shaded?

Well, it means that they won't come out true to type. So if you planted, say King Edwards, the spuds you got at the end might not resemble King Edwards very much!

[Noosner]

i had one my potatos! thought it was a rouge tomato that had escaped

Potatoes and tomatoes come from the same plant family so it isn't just a coincidence. They are related to deadly nightshade (though don't let that put you off!)

[Ann-Marie]

Thanks Noosner, see, I'm learning already. Can tell that this site's going to be invaluable !