Removing of potato flowers?

[Nicos]

Has anyone done this to produce a larger crop of spuds?
I did try it a few years ago and had a feeling that the plants with no flowers did better...but didn't compare to control plants.

your thoughts?

[Thelma Sanders]

I don't think it makes any difference but there's really no way to prove it, either way, is there

[Nicos]

Maybe remove some plant's flowers and leave on the others as a control?
Need someone who is interested in the outcome and has time to try it?

[veggiechicken]

Life's too short ..............to remove potato flowers

[Bren In Pots]

I leave mine the flowers are pretty

[Potstubsdustbins]

I don't know the answer but the plant those two spuds came from had flowered and was still in flower.

[Penellype]

I leave the flowers but I do remove any of the green fruit that they sometimes produce - Desiree seems to produce quite a few of these.

[Thelma Sanders]

Maybe remove some plant's flowers and leave on the others as a control?
Need someone who is interested in the outcome and has time to try it?

You'd need to start with identical tubers, grow in identical soil/compost and measure how much water each one gets, as well as weigh the crops ..... life's too short

[Snadger]

Sounds feasible but can't say I've seen many farmers out taking their tattie flowers or seed heads off for that matter..

Logically if a plant can't utiilse its flowers to propagate seed, it SHOULD revert to its other means of propagation i.e. tubers.

[Zelenina]

I doubt if it makes any difference. The Adora spuds that I'm growing this year have been flowering well and are now producing quite a few green berries. I'm going to save them for extracting true potato seeds.

I leave the flowers but I do remove any of the green fruit that they sometimes produce - Desiree seems to produce quite a few of these.

Yes, Desiree are known to be good berry producers, Penellype. It's often crossed with Cara to breed new varieties from the true seeds in the berries.

[poly]

I can't see removing them would make much difference either, there are so many other factors impacting on crop size. I'm also pretty sure the farmers would be taking them off if it were a big impact. It might make an interesting experiment for someone, there may even be some info into it.

I've read about some people experimenting the reverse of this, in that they are trying to fool the plant into thinking it won't be able to make a tuber crop in order for the plant to set more berries

Sorry I'm not much help as I think happy and healthy potato plants flower and I'm always pleased when they do. Not only because I'm a little closer to eating lovely new potatoes but the flowers are so pretty to look at and I love the way the heads bob about in the breeze. Best of all though is getting potato seed balls, what a bonus to be able to save seeds with so much diversity to grow in following years. Happy True Potato Seed (tps) growing to all I say

[Jungle Jane]

Apparently it's not cost effective for farmers to remove flowers,there's some online studies that go into detail,there has been a small yield increase removing flowers but not enough of an increase to do anything.

[burnie]

I sometimes get PFA that have no flowers and can't say I've noticed more tatties under them.