Your comments and tips

09 Jan 12, Michelle (Australia - temperate climate)

We had 6-8 potato plants grow after planting. We built up the dirt with bricks around them, but now all but two have died once covered with more dirt. I was told you could harvest once they flowered and they have been in the ground for a good two to three months. However, when we dug them up there was only two pea sized potatoes on one of the vines, which was disappointing to say the least. Any ideas?

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13 Feb 12, (Australia - temperate climate)

Wait for ur plants to die off completely and then harvest meanwhile put some compost or veg peels , grass cuttings on the soil.. And if yur plant has disease I may suggest plant afresh in a fresh spot with heaps of compost and loose soil and give ur plant a bit of room.. Use season once a week and u ll be amazed by the produce:)

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03 Feb 12, James (Australia - temperate climate)

I had the same problem but I was growing them in winter, which season were you growing in? Generally the longer you leave the potatoes the larger they get, it should be harvest time when the plant starts to die. Give them a bit more time. Did you add any nutrients to the soil? Other than that I can't think of where you may have gone wrong, maybe the potatoes were disease infested, did the dying plants appear to be suffering from disease?

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03 Jan 12, Gina (Australia - temperate climate)

I have grown potatoes several times but never had flowers. I harvest potatoes (when I get sick of waiting for the flowers) but can't understand why everyones says "wait till it flowers". Do all varieties flower??

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06 Jan 12, Tracey (Australia - temperate climate)

No, not all potato varieties flower. If you have the patience, wait until the plant dies, then you can be sure you've waited long enough. If I'm after new potatoes I start bandicooting at around the 90 day mark, or when the plant starts to look a bit ratty.

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28 Nov 11, Selwyn Law (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

I have grown some potatoes in flexi-bins - the light cheaper ones, 30 and 40 litre sizes. Drainage holes I melted into the sides of the containers with a hot pipe (neat holes) about 50mm or 2" up from the bottom. The holes being higher, allows a pool of water to remain in the pot and excess to drain out. Try a little potting mix about half full and top up the shoots with straw etc. Works well and containers are reasonably easy to move if required.

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07 Nov 11, Sylvana (Australia - temperate climate)

The potato plants in our pre-school are starting to die down and ready for harvest in about two weeks. The children are eager to harvest them. Can the pre-school catering cook, clean and cook the potatoes immediately after harvesting them, or do they have to cure first for 10 days? thank you Grandmother to a pre-schooler Sylvana

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07 Nov 11, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Sylvana - Yes, you can use the potatoes straight away. They will be delicious 'new' potatoes which just need their skins rubbed off before cooking. The drying time is to ensure that potatoes will keep in storage. It hardens the skins.

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24 Oct 11, Oziblueskies (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Rather than hilling up a few times when plants poke through, cant i just plant them deeper, make bigger mounds, & then put lots of straw on top? I mean cant i just do all the hilling & work in one go?

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21 Jun 11, Arthur (Australia - temperate climate)

I put my sweet potatoes in a cardboard box in dry sand two weeks ago close to a heater inside the house.Checking I found little white shoots apearing.Ive planted some I.ll let you how the are going in about three weeks time'

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