View Single Post
  #6   Report Post  
Old 24-08-2009, 09:25 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Bud Bud is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2009
Posts: 20
Default Cutting haulms off potatoes

Ed wrote:

A few guys at my allotment site have recently cut the haulms off their
main crop potatoes. They give two reasons for this practice:

Firstly, it considerably reduces the risk of infection by blight.
Secondly, it prevents nutrients and plant energy going into the
production of the potato fruit/seeds.

As this is my first year at growing potatoes , I would welcome any
advice/comments as to cutting the haulms off at this time of year and
leaving the tubers in the ground until harvest time.

Ed
(SE England)


Had to look up haulm to see what you were talking about, oh stems, okay.
We don't harvest until the stems have dried, gives the potatoes a chance
to develop a good tough skin for keeping or just to make sure they are
covered with hay, dirt, whatever, so the potatoes wont be sunburned, turn
green. Could leave them in the ground too, cover with hay to keep them
from freezing (but sometimes they'll start to sprout too) then dig as
needed. Oh, the stems can be left on or cut off after dried but leave
enough to see where the hill was.
--
signature goes here