The harvest starts as early as June
Many varieties of potato are pulled out of the ground when the herb wilts and dies. The reason: only then are the tubers ripe and can be stored for a longer period of time.
also read
- New potatoes - when can you expect their tubers?
- New potatoes - when and how do we harvest fresh tubers?
- Planting new potatoes - this is how the first tubers flourish
This is different with new potatoes. These come on the table very young and tender and you can dig them up when the leaves are still bright green.
For very early varieties, the harvest season therefore begins at the end of June. You can get early varieties out of the ground from the beginning of August.
The right harvest time
There are several things you can do to tell when potatoes are ready to harvest:
- The blossom: The typical aroma only develops after flowering, which is why potatoes harvested too early have a watery taste.
- You can start harvesting about two months after you have planted the seed potatoes.
The shelf life of new potatoes
New potatoes are often eaten with the skin on, as it is very tender and pleasantly underlines the potato aroma. However, the skin hardly protects the tubers, which is why new potatoes can be stored for a maximum of two weeks.
Harvest the potatoes therefore, if possible, immediately before consumption and only in the required quantity.
Are unripe potatoes harvested very young poisonous?
No, they are not. Small potatoes that are taken out of the ground too early are at best less aromatic, but not inedible.
Only potatoes with green spots, such as those that can arise from incorrect storage, are problematic. These contain solanine and should be sorted out and thrown away. However, if the tubers have the typical color of the variety, potatoes harvested too early can also be eaten without hesitation.
Bring forward the harvest time
You can harvest potatoes even earlier, by advancing the tubers:
- Pre-germinate the new potatoes from February.
- For this purpose, place the tubers loosely in fruit boxes.
- Put the potatoes in a light place where the temperature does not drop below ten degrees.
As soon as it is frost-free, place the bulbs that have been driven into the earth. Make sure that the germs do not break off. Cover the potato bed with a warming fleece or a thick layer of straw.
Tips
Potatoes should only be fertilized very sparingly with nitrogen, as this nutrient causes the tubers to “shoot into the leaves” and thus makes them more susceptible to late blight.
