Pruning potatoes - Ask Extension
First time potato grower here! My plants are growing in garden bags and seem to be doing well. I have recently been told that I should consider pruni...
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Pruning potatoes #709412
Asked August 04, 2020, 1:27 PM EDT
First time potato grower here! My plants are growing in garden bags and seem to be doing well. I have recently been told that I should consider pruning the plants to about one inch above the ground. If I do that won’t that hurt my potato crop? Please advise
Grand Traverse County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello
Thanks for your question. You do not want to prune your potato plants. Potatoes need to flower and then, they will have produced the potatoes below ground. The best practice is to allow the top growth to die back before you harvest so that your potatoes grow to their largest size. You can harvest early potatoes, such as red potatoes or Yukon Golds before the tops die back, they just won't be as large of tuber, and they are bite size at times.
Here is an MSU Extension article that explains this more: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/homegrown_potatoes_tell_you_when_to_harvest_them
Thanks for your question. You do not want to prune your potato plants. Potatoes need to flower and then, they will have produced the potatoes below ground. The best practice is to allow the top growth to die back before you harvest so that your potatoes grow to their largest size. You can harvest early potatoes, such as red potatoes or Yukon Golds before the tops die back, they just won't be as large of tuber, and they are bite size at times.
Here is an MSU Extension article that explains this more: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/homegrown_potatoes_tell_you_when_to_harvest_them
