Should you pluck flowers from potatoes? Why do they do it?

Potato

Potato tubers form simultaneously with flowering. Because of this, the flowering plant expends a lot of energy on bud formation, which can cause the tubers to lack the nutrients necessary for growth and development. Gardeners generally believe that plucking potato blossoms is beneficial to increase the yield of future edible root vegetables. Some have been practicing this method for years. But this issue remains controversial. To fully understand it, it's important to understand the ripening process of this crop.

Phases and time of potato bush development

Potatoes go through several stages of development throughout the growing season. The life cycle of this plant consists of several main phases and lasts approximately three months:

the first shoots appear 3 weeks after planting under favorable conditions;
approximately the same amount of time after this, buds become visible;
a month after planting, potatoes begin to bloom;
it takes 1.5-2.5 months for tubers to grow;
The cycle ends with the death of the above-ground part of the bush.

Note!

Wilting of the tops indicates that the tubers have stopped growing. The duration of top growth largely depends on the quality of care and weather conditions.

What happens when you remove inflorescences?

Numerous experiments were conducted to determine how removing potato blossoms affects tuber development. The blossoms were removed just as buds were forming. During plant growth, nutrients are directed to the leaves, flowers, and tubers. If the blossoms are removed, their share is redirected to the potatoes, which grow larger. However, the unfortunate consequence is that the plant is deprived of one of its most important life cycles—fruit formation. This ultimately leads to unpleasant consequences, such as varietal degeneration.

Every year, the deterioration in the quality of the harvest becomes more noticeable due to the accumulation of genetic problems. Furthermore, research has shown that if pick flowers from potatoes You can injure the plant, making it more susceptible to various bacterial diseases.

Whether to pluck potato blossoms is a personal decision. Some gardeners are convinced of this, while others believe that removing blossoms from potatoes to increase yield is simply foolish and don't believe this method can have a positive effect. The main disadvantages of this method include:

danger of damage to plants;
the possibility of contamination of the entire field with fungi or bacteria;
Excessive compaction of the soil between rows, which results in less moisture and air getting in.

The advantages include increased crop yields on infertile soil.

How to remove potato blossoms

If you decide to pluck potato flowers during flowering, you need to do it correctly. Therefore, it's recommended to follow a few simple guidelines. The best time is before the buds begin to open. If you're a little late, the lower leaves will dry out. It's important to maintain quarantine to prevent infection from a diseased plant from spreading to healthy ones. Therefore, tools should be disinfected.

Important!

Potato blossoms should be cut with sharp scissors or a knife. Breaking or tearing them off is not recommended. Walk carefully between rows, otherwise the soil will become too compacted.

A distinctive feature of this crop is its dual reproduction mechanism. Therefore, if berries have already appeared instead of flowers, they should be plucked; they are no longer needed.

What needs to be done before flowering begins

It's during this period that the bushes require special care. Therefore, it's crucial to devote attention to proper care. The most important procedure during this time is hilling. This simple agricultural technique involves loosening and raking the soil around each bush. It helps the root system strengthen, provides oxygen, and promotes stronger, more diversified growth. It's best if the soil is slightly moist during this process.

Hilling also prevents the potatoes themselves from emerging from the surface. Otherwise, they turn green and become unfit for consumption. However, hilling should be done carefully; carelessness can damage the root shoots and negatively impact the plant. When the bush is in bloom, spud it is very harmful.

Of great importance are also regular watering and fertilizing with a potassium-phosphorus mixture, without which the potatoes will stop developing normally.

Most gardeners grow this crop for food and therefore try to purchase high-quality, selective varieties from stores and markets. These days, they're not cheap.

Attention!

Not everyone knows, but you can save a lot of money by growing potatoes for seed. To do this, you don't need to pick off the flowers and lower leaves. Instead, wait until the berries on several plants ripen.

Cut fruits can be used to grow seedlings. The resulting bushes will produce a bountiful harvest for several years to come. Other positive attributes include resistance to disease and extreme temperature fluctuations.

Reviews

Nina

I accidentally heard about this method a couple of years ago and decided to try it on our plot. We have 10 acres of potato growing area. My husband was initially against it, but then agreed to the experiment. When the bushes bloomed, we walked through the rows to carefully pick off all the flowers and buds together. We had to wait until autumn for the results. While digging, we noticed that there were more tubers than usual in each hole, but they were all small.

Nikolay

This summer, I wanted to try a new method of growing potatoes: picking the flowers. Personally, I can say I didn't notice any significant difference. Maybe I did something wrong, or maybe the method just doesn't work. I won't try it again.

Elena

I read online that trimming the blossoms of potatoes can significantly increase their yield. It was hard to believe such a simple procedure could have any impact, so I hesitated for a long time. But I finally decided to treat some rows and leave the rest as is. I couldn't wait to compare the results. In the end, where the blossoms had been removed, there were more root vegetables, but none of the larger ones. It turns out the method didn't live up to my expectations.

Every gardener strives to achieve maximum productivity. A basic understanding of agricultural techniques and basic biological processes can help. Listening to others' opinions is helpful, but don't blindly trust any advice. A link between potato flowering and tuber formation has been proven in studies. However, a consistent increase in yield by removing flowers is unlikely. Furthermore, the risk of cultivar degeneration cannot be ruled out if they are removed annually. Therefore, the final conclusion is that such measures are inadvisable.