Potato flowers

[Florence Fennel]

Aren't they nearly ready to be harvested when they flower? I've only grown them a couple of times in containers until last year when I tried some in the ground. Going back to containers only this time so I'll give this one a go.

[Two_Sheds]

Aren't they nearly ready to be harvested when they flower?

Not all varieties do flower

[Florence Fennel]

Not all varieties do flower

I know , glad you raised that though

[Bigmallly]

Not all varieties do flower

Well that's my thing learned for today.

[SarrissUK]

I don't think it matters. I can't ever remember a potato farmer say that he spends time removing flowers. I grew up around huge potato fields too, so there was plenty of those farmers about! We used plenty of well rotted cow manure and it was bloody marvellous! Potatoes the size of my head lol

[tattieman]

I am sure we did discuss this on here a few years ago. I know some people that do it so that it bulks their potatoes up quicker for showing. Its not going to increase the number of tubers below the ground but it may help the potatoes bulk up earlier and give an exhibition grower a slight advantage over a rival as the potato will be up to size quicker and have a younger skin on it.

I actually like to see the flowers on them and commercially we do not remove them(thankfully).

[Two_Sheds]

I am sure we did discuss this on here a few years ago.

There are quite a few old thread about potato flowers: here's one of them

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ers_48430.html

[donnakebab]

It's the first I've heard of this too but like most of you I don't think I could be asked to bother. I'm so clumsy sometimes I would probably end up damaging half the haulms anyway.