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I've grown potatoes many times before and I always remember them flowering. This batch never did. I grew Yukon Golds. They seem to have produced some potatoes that are OK. (I haven't harvested many as I'm waiting). Does anyone know why they didn't flower? And will this affect overall production?
Thanks.

Not all varieties of potatoes flower interestingly enough and even those that do, not all of the plants do. Infact, the first time I planted a variety that did bloom, I was sure something was wrong. I planted 6 kinds of potatoes this year, half of the types are or have bloomed, the others are not doing so. Heirlooms are the most likely to flower of all. Even varieties that are likely too flower will not do so some years due to the weather conditions. Just leave them until the tops die back and then dig to see how many potatoes you have gotten. If they were allowed to dry out too much, after the plants were large enough to hill up the yield will be poor and some years are just better than others. Yield also has to do with soil nutrients of course too.

Thank you for this info. VERY helpful!

I always have trouble growing potatoes. Always. Can't figure it out. I can grow anything else but my potatoes never come up.

Parsley wrote:I've grown potatoes many times before and I always remember them flowering. This batch never did. I grew Yukon Golds. They seem to have produced some potatoes that are OK. (I haven't harvested many as I'm waiting). Does anyone know why they didn't flower? And will this affect overall production?
Thanks.

Some times if you have an F1 variety they will not flower and can only be propagated from seed tubers. It is best to buy Heirloom Potatoes if you want flowers? You can let them form a fruit that looks like a Tomato (Very poisonous! Do Not Eat) You can take the seed out wash and dry. Then plant these seeds the following year, select the best flowering ones that form the best potatoes. Potatoes grown from your own seed are more likely to flower the following year, plus these seeds will make better plants that should adapt to your local growing conditions, thin out any week seedlings at about 5 weeks old. Hope this helps?

FlowerPowerGirl wrote:I always have trouble growing potatoes. Always. Can't figure it out. I can grow anything else but my potatoes never come up.

Do you have a greenhouse? If so try growing some in a growbags in your green house. Keep moist and well watered at all times but not water logged! I guarantee you will get some tasty spuds using this method. You will need to keep the area slug free though.
If you do not have a green house then you can buy potatoe grow bags that would fit on a patio or even a small balcony, like one of my friends has in london 8 stories up lol. Use same method as described for green house growbags above.

PlantManPete wrote:

FlowerPowerGirl wrote:I always have trouble growing potatoes. Always. Can't figure it out. I can grow anything else but my potatoes never come up.

Do you have a greenhouse? If so try growing some in a growbags in your green house. Keep moist and well watered at all times but not water logged! I guarantee you will get some tasty spuds using this method. You will need to keep the area slug free though.
If you do not have a green house then you can buy potatoe grow bags that would fit on a patio or even a small balcony, like one of my friends has in london 8 stories up lol. Use same method as described for green house growbags above.

You gave me an idea. Now I know what I can grow in a green house during the winter, POTATOES.

Last year I did an experement with unexpected results. I had potatoes sprouting in the pantry so I planted them in October. I covered them with 8" of soil and about 6" of pine needles and left them all winter. 6 months later in May it was warm and still no plant growth so I dug into the potato patch to discovered I had a nice crop of small potatoes. Potatoes were all about 1" diameter and there was never any plant growth that I saw. I had about 1 gallon of new potatoes from a 20 ft row. How is it possible to grow potatoes with NO plant growth? There may have been some plant growth down in there some place but it never got any sun light.

Maybe plant the potatoes in little pots then put them outside later. I never did that with potatoes but it will probably woork!

The first time I grew potatoes, they never bloomed. I had Kennebecs and Golden Russets and neither blossomed. But I got a good crop of spuds just the same.

Ive been growing potatoes in my greenhouse for some time now and I must say it is quite effective. If the backyard isn't big enough you can always settle for a smaller, portable greenhouse.