The best time to harvest maincrop potatoes is when the foliage has died back, and their skins have toughened. With maincrop potatoes, you need to be a little more intentional. With early potatoes, harvesting is pretty straightforward, as you don’t need to cure or harvest them at a specific time.
If this is happening during the expected time for harvest, it’s normal, and it’s not a sign of blight, wilt or other diseases.Įarly potato plants will start wilting as soon as July, while maincrop potatoes may take as late as September or October. When the days to maturity have passed, you will notice the potato plant’s foliage starting to yellow, wilt and die back. Plant foliage is the best indicator of when potatoes are ready for harvest The main advantage to these potatoes is their timing – they will be ready for harvest much sooner than maincrop or storage potatoes. They will store for a couple of months, but not much longer than that.
#WHEN TO HARVEST POTATOES SKIN#
The new potatoes will have thin papery skin that you don’t need to peel – in fact, they’re much more delicious with the skins on.įirst earlies and second earlies also don’t need any curing period, as they’re meant to be consumed right away. When a potato plant flowers, the new tubers will be about 2 inches in diameter, and they will continue to swell as the flowers turn into fruit. Not all varieties flower in the same way, and some won’t flower at all, but if you notice flowers forming, wait for a couple of weeks before harvesting some potatoes. In fact, you can reach underneath the soil with your gloved hand and “steal” a couple of tubers without hurting the plant or the rest of the potatoes.įlowers are the best indicator that new potatoes are starting to form, and they’ll soon be ready for harvest. Your crop may not be ready for harvest, but you can still get a plate of delicious new potatoes every now and then before the plants completely mature.
Flowers can be a sign to harvest your first potatoes Check out this article to find out what to plant after potatoes. Growing first early and second early potatoes is great for a small garden because it allows for a second crop to go in after harvest. When sowing your potatoes in spring, chitting them may give you a head start, especially if you’re looking to grow fast-maturing early potatoes.Īnother thing to consider when growing first and second early potatoes is to harvest them before blight conditions appear – check the weather for rainy periods and get them out of the ground before the blight gets them in July or August. If the weather has been cold and rainy, the potatoes may take a longer time to mature, so take that into account as well. Keep in mind that your harvest time depends on the weather – mark your sowing day on the calendar to know how much time has elapsed. Ready for harvest after approximately 135 days – August through October.
Ready for harvest after approximately 110 days – July and August. Ready for harvest after approximately 90 days – June and July. So how long do potatoes take to grow according to each variety?įirst earlies – Sown in late march. If you’re not already familiar with the three main potato types, now is the perfect time to learn about them. Harvest your potatoes according to Days to Maturity (DTM)
#WHEN TO HARVEST POTATOES HOW TO#
In this article, we’re going to explore the difference between first early, second early and maincrop (or storage) potatoes, how flowers and wilting foliage can be an indicator of plant maturity, how to harvest potatoes and other FAQs you may find useful. As you’ll grow more varieties, you’ll have more experience to tell the difference between normal growth and diseased plants. There’s no clear-cut answer on when to harvest your potatoes, but the good news is that you can always reach inside the soil, dig out some potatoes and check how the tubers are growing. If it’s already flowered and the leaves are yellow, it’s nearly time for harvest. Always check the weather and observe the plant’s foliage. When looking to harvest potatoes, you need to differentiate between first earlies, second earlies and maincrop potatoes, each with its specific harvesting time. So if you’re a beginner gardener, what’s the best way to tell when potatoes are ready for harvest? Lift potatoes too soon, and you might get tiny ones, or leave them in the ground for too long, and they may start to rot. This humble tuber takes a while to mature, and all the magic is happening below the soil’s surface. Nothing can quite compare to the taste of new potatoes, especially when they’re homegrown. As an Amazon Associate earns from qualifying purchases.
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