Potato harvesting/foliage die back question

[thomas.r.silverman]

Hello,

Attached is a picture of my container potatoes. It's my first attempt at growing them.

I've stopped watering them now, as per advice, now the foliage has yellowed/browned and is beginning to die back.

I'm wondering how much I need to wait for the foliage to die back before I harvest? Do I need to wait for it to all die completely?

Many thanks in advance,
Thomas

 

[Meadowlark]

Withholding water will almost always result in yellowed/browned foliage on any plant...especially potatoes. At the extreme it is 100% fatal to plants to do so....especially potatoes. Withholding water during the growth cycle will often result in bad infestations of potato scab...not desirable.

The natural cycle of potatoes will result in the plants tops dying back which is the time generally that's best for harvest ....but yours look to me to suffer problem foliage not naturally caused but induced by an extreme lack of water. Let the plants be the "boss" and follow their natural cycle and you will be much more pleased with the results.

 

[thomas.r.silverman]

Withholding water will almost always result in yellowed/browned foliage on any plant...especially potatoes. At the extreme it is 100% fatal to plants to do so....especially potatoes. Withholding water during the growth cycle will often result in bad infestations of potato scab...not desirable.

The natural cycle of potatoes will result in the plants tops dying back which is the time generally that's best for harvest ....but yours look to me to suffer problem foliage not naturally caused but induced by an extreme lack of water. Let the plants be the "boss" and follow their natural cycle and you will be much more pleased with the results.

Hi, thanks for your reply,

I am often confused by garden advice as it can be so polar. This foliage started to die back when i was on a very regular watering schedule, that's when I was advised to cease all watering to avoid rot on the tubers and let the foliage die back to feed the tubers in their final growth stage.

Would you advise to now continue with watering in your opinion?

Thanks for your help

 

[Meadowlark]

Just going from the picture, those plants don't look to me like they are dying back naturally...rather they are water starved. Either way, they are probably done. You might try watering 1/2 of them and see if they perk up. If they do continue and if they don't, go ahead and harvest the spuds. Nothing to loose by trying some water.

 

[thomas.r.silverman]

Just going from the picture, those plants don't look to me like they are dying back naturally...rather they are water starved. Either way, they are probably done. You might try watering 1/2 of them and see if they perk up. If they do continue and if they don't, go ahead and harvest the spuds. Nothing to loose by trying some water.

Ok great, appreciate the advice!