Potato Growing 2025

My strange purple potatoes are putting on flowers now. Do I cut them off or leave them? Genuinely no clue what im doing

 

I sometimes take them off other times don't bother, sometimes they even fall off themselves I think that depends on variety.
Never really know if it makes much difference.

 

Well my two buckets were looking much happier after their weekend of TLC, had cut off the 3 yellow leaves from the first bucket yesterday so decided, before watering them I’d have a root around. Pulled out the 3 stalks (took a bit, they were firmly rooted) and found a surprising number and size of potatoes. Well surprising to me as I’d pretty much given them up after my neglect! So I decided to tip out the one bucket and now OH and I can savour new spuds with our salads all week! So happy. Will leave the other bucket and water and feed it properly!!

 

Errr…what can I plant (veg) in the used potato compost? I’ve left it out for the birds to peck through, then will add fertiliser. TIA.

 

How about a small wigwam of canes (3-4) and climbers beans. French or runners, whichever suits you.

 

Ahh so beans are okay to go in compost after potatoes? Fab. I’ve already got runners and dwarf French but was thinking about mange tout. I’ll see if I can pick up some seeds and get them going. Thanks @Allotment Boy

 

Charles Dowding often grows leeks in the same compost the potatoes were in if you have later cropping spuds.

 

I looked into this a few years back and the general consensus seemed that removing the flowers should in theory put more energy into the tubers but in reality it made a negligible difference.

 

Apart from what @pete diagnosed as early blight, I have returned from a weekend away to find all my Anya practically skeletal - the small amount of leaf veins remaining showing slug trails.

 

Ooo that’s interesting @Thevictorian as I have a packet of leek seeds here, wasn’t sure what to do with them but maybe I’ll try. Not too late to sow are they?

 

I think it depends on the variety, there are ones for later cropping that can be sown now. The benefit of them being in pots/bags is that if you have a greenhouse they can be moved when the weather gets cooler.

 

Ahh just checked my pack and they are Musselburgh with last sowing in April so probably best not use them. When I go for a scout around the GC I’ll see if there are any later sowing varieties, if not I’ll see if I can find mange tout, couldn’t find any yesterday though. Thanks for your help @Thevictorian

 

We grew musselburgh in the ground last year and they weren't started until July I think. They are a very hardy leek which overwinter fine here, so you could give them a go. They might not reach full size but we still have some that we are eating now, we just have to stop them flowering.

 

Oh really, well I’ll definitely have a go, did you sow direct or in modules first? And feeding, shall I add blood fish and bone or a general 7-7-7 fertiliser in the spent potato compost for them? Sorry for so many questions @Thevictorian

 

I module sow them first because I'm never sure where I want to plant them (I'm more polyculture than rows). As for feeding I don't bother tbh because they go into decent compost, any feeding would prob ably help but you could add a ltitle new comost as well. I'm not sure if this is the video that inspired me to try or if it was a different one.