I'm trying my hand at gardening for the first time, specifically growing potatoes. The stalks are a greenish color, but I've noticed that the leaves and the smaller stalks connecting the leaves are dead. I'm unsure if it's too early to pull them or if it's risky to do so now. Any advice?
2 Answers
You can dig around and pull out a few early potatoes if you're curious, but typically they should stay in the ground until the foliage completely dies off. If the leaves are dead, that’s a good sign, but it's best to wait until the main plants are fully yellow or brown.
It sounds like it might be a bit early to harvest unless you're specifically growing fingerling potatoes. When did you plant them? Also, which gardening zone are you in? That info might help clarify things!
I planted them just over 90 days ago, and they're russet potatoes.
Got it! The leaves are dead, but the main stalks are still a bit yellowish-green. It’s hard to explain, like a tree with only the trunk left. Should I just wait a bit longer?