You can harvest “ new” potatoes once the canopy flowers have bloomed, which is usually about six to eight weeks after the potato plants begin to grow. These baby potatoes range from one- to two-inches in diameter. Excavate lightly next to the plants and gently dig out a few tubers from each plant.
New potatoes are small, tender potatoes that are harvested and eaten right away. They do not store well. Harvest new potatoes when the plants are finished flowering by digging around the edges of the plant with a garden fork and levering up the bundle of potatoes to expose them.
When potato harvest?
Soft-skinned, new, baby potatoes are ready to be harvested 2-3 weeks after the plants bloom. Maincrop potatoes have fully matured and are ready for harvest when the foliage withers and dies 4-5 weeks after blooming. This can be anywhere from June to September, depending on the variety.
Wait until the tops of the vines have died before you begin harvesting . Potatoes are tubers and you want your plant to store as much of that flavorful starch as possible. Temperatures of both the air and soil should also factor into when to dig.
How long does it take for potatoes to cure after harvest?
2 to 3 weeks after the plants stop flowering, “new potatoes,” which are potatoes harvested early for their smaller size and sensitive skin, will be ready to harvest. New potatoes should not be cured and consumed within a few days of harvest since they do not keep for long.
The white potatoes I plant will take about 135 days to mature. Early potato varieties require 60 to 100 cool days to reach harvest. Early potatoes are the best choice for southern regions where summers are very warm or hot. Midseason potatoes require 101 to 135 cool days to reach harvest.
How do you know when to pick baby potatoes?
You’ll need to keep an eye on the flowers and foliage to determine when to best harvest your crop. Harvest baby potatoes two to three weeks after they’ve finished flowering, and harvest potatoes for storing two to three weeks after the plant’s foliage has died back.
Another frequent question is “When should you dig up potatoes?”.
If you want new potatoes, which are small, immature potatoes about 1 to 2 inches in size, harvest them just before their vines die. Remember though that the more baby potatoes you dig, the fewer full-sized ones you will have for later in the season. After you decide when to dig up potatoes, get the whole family involved .