Harvesting Potatoes

[Mike]

So I've got a question for those of you who have grown potatoes before. A lot of our potatoes are starting to push up through the ground. Some of them are red so we're picking those as we see them. However, some are still green. What should we do with those? If we leave them alone will they still ripen? Also, are we doing the right thing by harvesting the ripe ones that are pushing up?

I'm assuming we'll be harvesting them all soon because some of the plants are starting to look like they're dying. I assume that's when we know they're all ready?

 

[Tetters]

They don't even sound like potatoes to me Mike. Don't eat any until you've got some answers, especially any green ones

 

[Zigs]

Hmm, if potatoes have gone green they are poisonous Mike They go green if they're exposed to light, which is why we earth up the tubers (you might call that hilling)

While the green is only Chlorophyll, which isn't poisonous itself but once exposed to light the tuber produces solanine which you can't see. It's produced throughout the tuber (no good cutting the green bit off)

Solanine is a toxic alkaloid which will make the world fall out of your bottom and give you terrible tummy pains while it does.

Although it's not usually fatal it can make you abort if you're pregnant.

 

[YumYum]

Potatoes have to be hilled to protect the tubers from the sun. Sunlight causes them to turn green.

 

[skinyea]

you can hill them, or cover them with hay/straw. as others said do not eat the green ones

 

[Zigs]

I ignored my own advice a while back, I was a bit short of money and I had a huge potato that only had a little corner of green on it.

I cut it off thinking it was so small it wouldn't have started the process.

About an hour later I was sitting on the toilet holding my tummy and saying things that you wouldn't say in front of a Vicar

 

[Meadowlark]

Covering the new ones should eliminate the green.

It is ok to rob the new ones as long as you understand you are sacrificing bigger ones that will mature later on. I do that all the time because I can't wait for new potatoes each harvest.

I'm assuming we'll be harvesting them all soon because some of the plants are starting to look like they're dying. I assume that's when we know they're all ready?

Yes, when the tops die back, they are finished growing and ready to harvest. Don't tarry too long on the harvest because this time of year, a good rainstorm will promptly start them rotting in the ground. It is astonishing how fast that can happen...right before your eyes an entire crop can rot out in just over a day...been there and done that

 

[YumYum]

We've bought them from the store with a tinge of green on the skin and eat them but the flesh was still yellow. Dont eat the green.

 

[Mike]

Thanks for the info y'all. Glad I asked.

I do have them planted on the top of the row but maybe I didn't plant them deep enough? Again, glad I asked. I'm about to put the sweet potatoes in the ground and I wasn't gonna put them in a top row.

So the ones that aren't green I can just cover back up and they'll keep growing?

 

[Zigs]

Sweet potatoes are a different family, don't think you need to worry about toxins in them (but i'm sure the others will say if I'm wrong)

Yep, green bad, white good. Even the red skinned ones can go green.

Keep covering up as some grow up into the mound ( I think maincrop ones do but early varieties don't)

I once got accused of photoshopping a pic of potatoes that I'd grown in pipes, as the plant grew I put ring drainage pipes over it and filled with soil. The potatoes filled the pipes so much I had a job getting them out. A certain member who joins every gardening forum on the planet told everyone that I'd "fudged" the pictures as potatoes don't grow like that

Like I was going to spend time altering a picture of potatoes for no reason whatsoever...

 

[Mike]

Another quick question about these green potatoes. So I've got a few of these, which aren't green, but have started to sprout. I'm assuming they started to sprout because they were above ground, but weren't in direct sunlight so the potato isn't green.

Are these ok to eat, or should we toss these too?

 

[Zigs]

The shoots are green so they've been exposed to light. If you peel them off and then eat it, will you let us know if you needed the toilet suddenly?

 

[Tetters]

Another quick question about these green potatoes. So I've got a few of these, which aren't green, but have started to sprout. I'm assuming they started to sprout because they were above ground, but weren't in direct sunlight so the potato isn't green.

Are these ok to eat, or should we toss these too?

View attachment 267

I can't see any green on that potato. Those eyes are no problem, they just need to be cut out.

 

[Mike]

The shoots are green so they've been exposed to light. If you peel them off and then eat it, will you let us know if you needed the toilet suddenly?

I'm thinking maybe I'll just not take the chance and toss all those too.

From what I can see, there are only a few from yesterday's harvest that are like that.

 

[Zigs]

I'm thinking maybe I'll just not take the chance and toss all those too.

From what I can see, there are only a few from yesterday's harvest that are like that.

They might be ok, but I didn't want you slapping me when we have a staff meeting

These are this years ones that I've been earthing up with all the compost that doesn't pass through the sieve.

 

[Mike]

So these potatoes were all the way in the ground, but they have these green patches on them. Are these the ones y'all say we should toss?

 

[Meadowlark]

Don't toss 'em...just don't eat them. Save them for seed potatoes for the next crop.

 

[Mike]

Don't toss 'em...just don't eat them. Save them for seed potatoes for the next crop.

So what do I need to do to them to get them ready for next year?

 

[Meadowlark]

Potato storage is a problem in Texas. It is not easy.

If storing potatoes, never wash them, never allow them to touch other potatoes, and keep in a dark, well ventilated , cool location.

Dark is not too difficult, well ventilated a bit more difficult, and cool location huge problem!

 

[Mike]

Yes! Our best hope is in the cellar. I put them under our lean-to for the night tonight and tomorrow just hoping they'll get a little more dry. Tomorrow we'll put them in the cellar and hope for the best. We didn't get nearly as many as I thought so we'll probably eat them before they go bad.