So my broccoli bolted to seed early, but there was another surprise in store. I can't believe for the first time, I have potatoes growing in my vegetable patch! In the past, they always grew to a certain size, then died of some fungal disease. I suspect they don't like our hot, dry and sporadically wet summers.
A small miracle
We attempted to plant them last year too, but the summer killed them again. They must have produced tiny tatters however, which sprouted with the recent rains.
I have both kipfler and store bought potatoes which is the big one in the picture above. It has just gone to flower, which I read you can harvest, about a month later.
You can tell by the weeds and grass, we weren't planning for potatoes in this bed. I did mulch them however, when they convinced me, they were keepers. So will we be eating potatoes in September I wonder? Stay tuned.
PS: should I pick the flowers, I read they can take energy from growing the potatoes? What's your experience?
I usually just let the potatoes flower and die down naturally - doesn't seem to hurt much, though I don't have much science behind it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback. It helps me to understand a crop I haven't succeeded at growing yet. I was hoping to just leave the flowers go. :)
DeleteNo, I wouldn't pick them, Nature knows what she is doing. Besides sometimes they will set little fruits which contain seeds and you can sow them and maybe they will give rise to a new variety. I did it once, but mine rarely flower anyway. Hope you harvest a meal from them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback and experience too. I appreciate it. I hope we'll be tasting potato soon.
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