Waif and Stray Potatoes Regrowing

[ado]

In the last couple of weeks I've notice quite a few early potatoes regrowing where I planted them last year. Have these grown from potatoes that I missed when I harvested them or from roots that I might have left in the ground? I'm trying to work out how careful I need to be with this years crop to ensure the same thing doesn't happen again (not that I'm adverse to more earlies but they are currently over shadowing the veg which I want to grow on the plot).

[rustylady]

These are known as volunteer plants, and they have grown from small potatoes that you missed when harvesting last year's crop.

[allotmentor]

I'd whip them out as soon as possible, not just because they'll interfere with your current crop, but also because they will harbour any pests/diseases left over from your previous potato crop - in my case I often find they are riddled with wireworm.

[LincolnshireFloyd]

Ah.... the potato grower's annual problem. I've stopped that happening now because I've changed my growing methods. I now grow my spuds under black polythene and when the've grown they tend to sit on the surface like a crowd of Bolton Wanderer's supporters. They are easy to gather like this but even then I'll sieve the top few inches of soil to get the ones that want to play hide a seek.
And don't let your grandson or any non gardener dig them for you because you'll have half the crop still left in the ground.

[StephenH]

I've got the damn things all over the place. However careful I am, I always seem to leave a few spuds behind at harvest time.

[zazen999]

I don't mind them; I leave them and have a bonus crop later in the year.

[treepixie]

I keep finding them growing all over the allotment, as the previous person covered the whole plot in potatoes last year, lost count how many I have pulled up.

[rustylady]

I keep finding them growing all over the allotment, as the previous person covered the whole plot in potatoes last year, lost count how many I have pulled up.

You need to dig them up, making sure you get the seed potato too.

[alldigging]

I don't mind them; I leave them and have a bonus crop later in the year.

I've got a couple I'm going to leave. They're not madly in the way and like you say, a bonus crop. The chances are they will do better than last years!

[Likac66]

I'm the same as treepixie - previous plotholder grew potatoes over the whole plot (it was an extra plot to him) so I have got them coming up everywhere. The worst ones are when they pop up in the middle of my cut and come lettuce or radishes etc and when you dig them out they disturb everything else.

[ado]

Hmmm...No sign of wireworm so far so I think I'll remove the potatoes which are encroaching on other crops but leave the others to act as a bonus crop.

[Martin H]

The trouble with leaving them in, is last year was a bad year for blight. Any volunteer plants are quite likely to be harbouring the disease - it overwinters on tubers. So you are risking spreading blight to your main (certified virus-free) potato crop as well as everybody else's too! So better safe than sorry I think, and get them out quick.

[SlugLobber]

I tend to get my best spuds from these! I used to always get one sprout from under the compost bin and this year there are three or four in my onion patch (I rotate crops). I've gone for the straw mulch method this year, as part of my problem was prising them out of clay soil (first year on this plot last year), so will see what happens! Ideally they should be removed, but rules were made to be broken...

[binley100]

I''ve got 'em as well .....but I cut my haulms down at the first sign of blight last year and the tatties I lifted were fine.
Last year I think I planted a bit too deep so missed some but this year they're under cardboard etc so hopefully will get the lot.

[lottie dolly]

And don't let your non gardener dig them for you,because you'll have half the crop still left in the ground.

tell me about it.................

I am the same,even in places that did not have taties on last year,i hoe the ones in the wrong place,and leave the rest,all this talk of chitting and a certain window to plant,when all the while THEY are the best judges of when is right,makes one wonder weather we should plant in the autumn,when the ground is getting colder,but still workable,would be worth an experiment in a patch this years end,