How can I get rid of spuds amongst this year's veggies?

[TeaMonsta]

I must have missed a few small potatoes from last year's (Christmas) harvest and now they're sprouting amongst my carrot seedlings and where my beetroot seeds have been planted. I don't want to dig them out as I'll also be digging out the carrot seedlings and beetroot seeds. Can anyone suggest the best course of action? I am considering one of the following two options:

1 - Dab glyphosate on the sprouting potato foliage

OR

2 - Cut off any sprouting potato foliage as it appears

Is either method ok or one preferred over the other? Or neither, perhaps? Any advice much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[bramble]

Why would you want to use glyphosate near any of your seedlings?
Cut them off if they are in the way.

[TeaMonsta]

Why would you want to use glyphosate near any of your seedlings?

I get your point which is why I would carefully dab the potato leaves. Then the entire potato plant is killed off which would be preferable so that's it's not taking nutrients from this year's crops. Assuming that I don't get any glyphosate on anything but the potato leaves, is there any reason not to do this? Or will the potato plant die anyway if I keep cutting the leaves off? If either option has the same effect on the potato plant, I'd rather just cut the leaves off; avoids the risk of ruining the new seedlings with glyphosate.

[TeaMonsta]

I suppose a better way of asking the question is:

What are the pros and cons of the two options above (glyphosate killing the seedlings being one of the cons against glyphosate, of course).

Thanks.

[veggiechicken]

I pull them out. Using glyphosate is not an option for me.

[Martin H]

I agree with VC, I'm not using any herbicide among live crops. I always miss a few potatoes, I dig them out if I can do so without disturbing any crops, otherwise I just pull the shoots out as they emerge.

Herbicides have their place, e.g. to kill the weeds in the block paving on my drive or as last resort on bindweed in permanent planting, but I avoid using them on the veg plot wherever possible.

[Muddy_Boots]

I myself think that having the odd rogue potato plants turning up from last years lot is a hazard of growing your own veggies. I'd just pull the foliage off when it appears if its within a row of other stuff, dig up with a trowel if its between rows.

The Glyco is a BIG no, no even if its a local treatment to the plant, I ONLY reserve that sort of 'hammer to crack a nut' at i) Bindweed ii) Mares Tail iii) Dandelions or iv) Dock.

[1Bee]

I qualify for using glyphosate under all your options, Muddy!

[Gillykat]

I still get the odd potato sprouting in my flower bed so just pull the leaves off or, if it's not coming up through seedlings, get the trowel out and dig it out

[Guest]

If you keep cutting the shoots off any plant it can't photosynthesise so you are weakening the plant and over time it will lead to death

[Dorothy rouse]

I seem to have potato 'seedlings' popping up up in lots of places, due to my 'not very composted compost! I just pull them out, they come out very easily

[Nicos]

You could cut them like you would asparagus spears ...about 5cm below soil level with a very sharp knife.
That way you'll disturb the soil and seedlings less.
Oh ...and , if you aren't aware, glyphosate is on the verge of being banned due to it's carcinogenic properties.
Always best to keep chemicals like that well away from food as the residue will stay in the soil unless you can remove every single bit of the dead plant?

[TeaMonsta]

Thanks everyone. Seems like the consensus is to steer clear of the glyphosate. Sounds sensible but it's always good to hear the views of others, especially when it backs up what your guts are telling you.

.....Always best to keep chemicals like that well away from food as the residue will stay in the soil unless you can remove every single bit of the dead plant?

Thanks, Nicos. That clears up my next question about using the glyphosate to rid an unplanted veggie bed of weeds.

[Nicos]

You will find that some members on here are still happy to use it on their veg beds, but .the vast majority steer well clear of it

[TeaMonsta]

Any risk of contaminating something I'll eat is good enough for me. Think I'll just use it on the driveway weeds