How do I know when potato plands are ready to cultivate?

How do I know when my potato plants are ready to cultivate? Why do potato plants have blooms?


  7 answers
  • Michelle Horne Michelle Horne on Jun 26, 2015
    They will bloom, and sometimes they produce little tiny fruit where the blooms were. DON'T EAT THESE, THEY ARE POISONOUS!!! Matter of fact, the whole plant EXCEPT the root (potatoe) is poisonous. You can plant those fruit and they will grow a brand new baby potatoe plant. Generally your potatoes are ready to harvest when the plant above the ground dies all the way back to the ground. When you harvest them, make sure to cure them properly and store them away from sunlight. If the potatoes are exposed to sunlight for too long they start to turn green, this is also poisonous.
  • Michelle Horne Michelle Horne on Jun 26, 2015
    Here is what the fruit / seed pod looks like.
  • Carmie Carmie on Jun 27, 2015
    I let the plants die back and then dig them. And I have been doing this for years. If you want early little potatoes just dig under the hill. I usually get a few from a couple of hills and cover the plant back up. They will keep growing.
  • Harriette Brice Harriette Brice on Jun 27, 2015
    The will produce blooms. If you want you can dig under the hill with your hands and find the potatoes with your hands. If large enough pull the potato or potatoes, cover back up and let the smaller ones keep growing. They are easy to break off the roots.
  • Deb Deb on Jun 27, 2015
    Agree. Dig in fall when the plants die off.
  • Martha Hinkle Martha Hinkle on Jun 27, 2015
    The above ground leafy part will start wilting and die back. Proceed with digging.
  • Kathy Kathy on Mar 06, 2020

    Once foliage dies and droops