Yet another potato question!

[witch-1]

I have decided with your help that its ok not to have flowers on my potatoes... but now last few days, I have noticed they fall over when watering!! Is this possibly a sign they are ready? They do bounce back up again....

... and just for info, I am using a rose on my watering can!!

My workings out they should be ready 1st July!! I so want to dig one up to see whats occuring, but also know the need of patience!

So - falling down plants? Are they ok?

Ta
Jan

[jacob marley]

Try watering on to the soil not the foliage and they will not fall over it is the weight of the water thats doing itjacob

[witch-1]

oh ok

Simple when told!!

[rustylady]

Are they growing in pots or open ground? As Jacob says, it's the weight of the water droplets on the leaves that causes them to fall over temporarily. However, you could be wasting your time watering if they're in pots and the water is just running off the leaves and not into the compost. Also, it's been really wet round here recently (East Anglia is supposedly the driest part of the country - Wiltshire should be wetter), so if your spuds are in open ground I wonder whether you really need to water them.

[witch-1]

They're in the ground... but I thought they liked alot of water, so on each dry day we've been watering (from our water butt I'd like to add )

I also water my runner beans but although we water the rest we're more sparing with it... more like giving them a lil drink!

Temperatures have reached mid 20s and even got to 30s this week! I have quite a secluded south facing garden... although the veg plot is in shade the second half of the afternoon! My runners just about get the evening sun - but next doors tree does throw alot of shade about!

Jan

[Earthbabe]

The only problem with watering little and often is that it encourages only shallow rooting and the plants don't put down deeper roots to find the water themselves.

[littlemark]

The first time I grew spuds I watered regularly and ended up with a lot of slug damage, I don't know if this was a coincidence. I now don't water unless conditions are very dry. I rarely water any of my deeper rooted veg such as carrots, parsnips and even lettuce. The soil surface may look very dry, but a couple of inches down usually contains enough moisture.

Mark

Mark

[g51065]

The older guys on the allotment told me not to bother watering spuds as they are usually so deep they don't need it, maybe water once a few weeks before digging up, have a tentative dig around one to see if you can find any large tubers... if not, cover it back up and wait a bit

[Cutecumber]

I think if you've got fairly decent soil, that is, which can retain moisture, "they" recommend just a couple of very heavy waterings. If the soil is very freely draining, you've got your work cut out. For me, it is actually easier to keep my potatoes happy in large containers than in the ground as my soil is very, very light.

The roots in pots - particularly carrots, seem to thrive in the moisture-restricted environment, too. They would probably love it in my sandy soil (if I got rid of the stones!) - I must try it.

[witch-1]

WOW such alot of info... many thanks!

Will ease off abit - that will save our water too! Not sure what our 'dirt' is like - whether its good or bad! Stuff growing - I take that as good

Jan
x

[Uncle Albert]

Hi Witch-1,

Stick your finger in the soil. I bet you'll find it's moist once you get an inch or two down. If so, our potatoes will be fine without any additional water.

[witch-1]

Be like a proper gardener then with dirty fingernails

Thanks again - this site is a saviour of veggies!!
Jan

[moggssue]

I havent had clean fingernails for months, since I started digging out my plot! Everyone has got used to me now ... but just wait until I start telling them about my furtling for tatties!!