When to Dig New Potatoes.
When to dig new potatoes depends on what size you want them to be and also how large the potatoes are.
Check the size of new potatoes by gently moving the soil away from the side of the potato ridge with your hand. On the side of the ridge between two potato plants, gradually work down until you find a potato.
The new potatoes are at the end of the stolons. The stolons look like white roots, and the tip of each stolon swells to produce a potato.
Take great care because it is easy to knock the potato off the stolon.
If the potatoes are big enough to eat, dig the whole root up! If the potatoes are not big enough, cover them up with soil again and they will keep growing. But be careful not to knock the potato off the tip, as the stolon will not produce another potato. So be very gentle.
There is a balance to be had. If the potatoes are dug too soon, the yield will be low. But new potatoes are expected to be small. Early potatoes will be ready 12 or 13 weeks after planting.
Maincrop potatoes are usually grown for size and quantity. Maximum yield is obtained when the leaves go yellow and die (senesce.) Maincrop varieties are usually ready 22 weeks after planting.
When to dig new potatoes depends on how large you want them to be.
Related articles:
- potato blight
- potato varieties susceptible to blight
- ridging up potatoes
- volunteers
- early or maincrop
