Rocket spuds, too much leaf.

[Bill HH]

I have five containers of rocket potatoes planted at the 24th of Feb, In each container (45lt) I put a small handful of BFB. The trouble is they have made so much top growth that they are falling over. Do I stake them, trim off some growth or leave them?

[Jonnyt]

My duke of York are exactly the same and about to flower. I'm hoping they have made potatoes not just leaf. Mine only had branded potato fertiliser


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[Bill HH]

So I guess you just leaving yours until harvesting? I was wondering if I reduced the foliage by 50% whether the spuds would continue to grow? I wil be harvesting some in a week or two.

[Greenleaves]

Hi Bill

My container spuds were like that last year....I just made a cylinder of chicken wire to stop the wind breaking them, I was worried that staking might break the tuber forming roots. Results of the yeild was above average...well for me that is.

[Jonnyt]

Hopefully they will turnout alright then for both of us!


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[Kristen]

My spuds quite often make top growth that tumbles over. I think it may be a factor that their growth is quite brittle, so doesn't stand up well on its own. My container grown spuds are by far the worst - I put a cane in each corner, and run a string around the perimeter at various heights, otherwise the flopping foliage breaks and that must set-back the plant's ability to carry a decent crop.

Thus not sure you need to do anything about it - although stopping the foliage breaking, if you can, might help yield.

[Kristen]

Ah ... on re-reading I now see yours are in containers too. I was getting envious that yours were outside, and you had managed to avoid frost, AND they were about ready to harvest! If in containers than sounds like mine have always been, over the years - floppy foliage

[Jonnyt]

Mine are in a container and outside. No frost since January here in Lyme Regis but plenty of wind and water!


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[Potstubsdustbins]

The haulm growing like this is nothing unusual, but it is best to support it if you can, broken stems do no good at all. I think its the edge of the containers that do the damage, if the plants were in the ground the stems would just lie down and not get broken.

I cheat I have a netted cage that takes my cauliflower when they are ready until then my buckets are in there with the haulm supported.

And no Bill I wouldn't cut the haulm back after all its there for a purpose.

[Snadger]

Mine aren't even up yet!

I did only plant them last week tho!

[Bigmallly]

Having never grown spuds in containers before, I don't know if just tying string around them would help.

[Greenleaves]

Having never grown spuds in containers before, I don't know if just tying string around them would help.

Surely you could invent something BM?

[Kristen]

Having never grown spuds in containers before, I don't know if just tying string around them would help.

Not ideal me thinks ... the haulms wanting to go one way or the other will put "cutting pressure" on the string on the other side. I think 4 canes in the "corners" and then string will mean that the weight is mostly taken by the canes.

IME if you are now thinking about needing to do something its too late already ... you would have needed to put the canes in earlier (the plants are too brittle to adjust much ...)

But, for consolation , the first umpteen years I grew them in containers I never got around to putting the canes in, and lived with flopped-over spud plants. Now I put the canes in when I plant the containers so that I have absolutely no excuse

[Richard Eldritch]

Hi Bill
My rocket in bags went in 17 feb. I let mine flop over so they don't snap later on. It will help if you don't water for a while so that the haulms aren't water brittle. Anyway they should be ready soon eh? I'm giving mine another week or two.....

[Bill HH]

Mine were started in the Gh then put outside in mid march, we have not had any frost here (Torquay) all winter. Some useful advice from you all. I intend to harvest at least one container on the 1st June. I planted all my spuds on the same day Rocket, Orla and Sarpo Mira, The Rocket are 2.5ft high, the oral 1.5ft High and the Sarpo mira still only 6 to 8 inches high. This shows clearly why they are classified earlies and main crop. It is my blight reduction plan, the earlies I hope to harvest before blight even starts, the oral by getting an early start should at least have a crop if the blight hits, and the Sarpo are supposed to be resistant. Time will tell.

The Rocket are furthest away and the Orla closest.