To all first time spud growers

[miffy]

It is rogue parsnips i keep finding they pop up all over my plot!!

[Banana]

My question is, is the rogue potato just as likely to be a potato from the seeds within the fruit that fell off last year?
I was fairly vigorous with potato removal, but not as careful about the fruit that occasionally got turned into the soil.
On removal of a few potato shoots this week, I couldnt find the potato, just a long root.

Therefore I suggest you are just as careful about the removal of the fruit as well as the potatoes.

[RobintheBobin]

If you thought tatties were bad, wait til you see what Jerusalem Artichokes are like!!! I thought I had done a decent job of clearing my husband's rockery of JA shoots, roots et al but oh no, I didn't realise they would shoot from a piece of JA peeling

I keep trying to persuade him that they are a lily, comfrey, anything except JAs whilst rapidly pulling them up whilst he is making a cuppa

[Scottishnewbie]

welli never knew any of this - many thanks. and there was me all chuffed that i had potatoes growing all over the blooming place too! looks like i'll have to be a busy little bee tomorrow then eh!!

i grew, or tried to grow, some in a dustbin last year and nothing happened cos they got blight i think - can i reuse that compost or should i chuck it on the compost bin and start again?

ta

[lynda66]

went in the garden yesterday and have found 4 beetroot, 3 garlic sprouts, a couple of parsnips and 6 brassicas of some sort in different beds can only think they are from last years seeds that didn't germinate and rotavating has helped them grow

[StephenH]

A lesson learned the hard way;

When you harvest your potatoes, make sure you pull up every little tiny bit of spud you find.
Then go over the whole patch again!

I have pulled up loads of volunteer potato plants this spring, from bits left behind last year. One rooter was baking potato sized - how did I miss that!!!

Even the tiniest speck of potato can root and grow next spring.

Be vigilant!

OTOH, why not just regard them as an unexpected bonus? Of course, they'll be coming up in the wrong bed if you rotate your crops, but I wouldn't've thought that was a disaster.

[Edwardo82]

I am trying spuds in containers and also in the ground for my first year at opposite ends of my plot. So hopefully one of them works for me and I avoid them both getting diseases.

Good luck to all Spuds growers this year