Early Potatoes

[Cerinthe]

Hi,
My first early potatoes are about 6-8inches out of the ground but have started to show flower heads. Should I pick these off. I think the variety is Swift so living up to its name The crop looks healthy and I would say at the right stage of growth for the date planted, ie, hasn't had a check from frost, could it be the dry weather altho my soil is fairly moist underneath.

[poultrychat]

According to everything I have been told you start to pick earlies when they start flowering, worked well last year on my charlotte and I will be doing the same this year on my first earlies which have the buds but they haven't opened yet, rocket ones they are and I can't wait

[SueA]

Cerinthe, it depends on lots of things, how deep did you plant them , have you earthed them up & are they 6-8 ins above this & when did you plant them. If they've been in the ground around 12-13 weeks then it's probably normal that they are flowering now. Feel around in the soil below the haulms to see if the potatoes are big enough to harvest yet, if not just leave them & try when the flowers have died off. I wouldn't bother picking them off though.

[Nicos]

Although I have never tried this, I understand that if you remove the flower heads the plant produces a heavier crop. Has anyone tried this and does it actually work??
Only about 1/3 of my spuds are peeping through the soil- 3" max!!

[Cerinthe]

Thank you both.

I have earthed up a bit just once. They have only been in 6-7 weeks so it seems a bit early to come into flower. Do you think the pots continue to swell after flowering. Ive never had flowers so early on such young growth before.

[poultrychat]

All of my spuds are up but only rocket have flower heads - the others are charlotte, king edward and golden wonder.

Nicos if you are serious them I'm going to go and pull off all flower heads!

[Nicos]

Yes -it's what I was told by an old farm hand! Think I have read it too a good while back......just never tried it myself as we always grow far too many spuds. I'd like to have it confirmed by someone else though before you do it !!!! Why not try a few plants and see??
Seaweed feed is also supposed to increase yields by up to 40% too.
Full of Trivial Persuit info today!!!!

[Cerinthe]

I think I read in one of the Bob Flowerdew books to pick off the green seed heads. Only got 1 lot, all Swift, about 100seed pots. Have picked them off from 1 row, cant decide about the rest.
Thinking about it, why do they need to flower anyway. If its just an indication they ready I could pick the flowers off and guess when to dig.

[Nicos]

the plant must surely waste some energy developing flowers/seeds?

[Lesley Jay]

I have read it aswell but the potatoes flowering and then dying is my way of knowing when they are ready.

[Cerinthe]

Added a poll. Please vote

[sewer rat]

I take my lead from commercial growers up here - leave the flowers alone.

[MissyMoo]

My mother in law always picks the flowers off and then digs the 'taters up guided by her womanly intuition (I guess!). Not sure how she knows when they are ready but they are always a good size and a heafty crop at that.

[Strepsy]

My Sharpe's Express have no sign of flower buds. They've been in around 8 weeks.

[Cerinthe]

I am going to pick the flowers from 4 rows and leave the other 4 with the flowers on and see what happens.

Should have added a 'Do both' to the poll

Years ago I had a book in which I kept records of all my pots, variety, how well the performed and such like. Think I will start one again, it doesn't take many years to build up quite a good record.