The high winds in my area yesterday didn't hurt any of my tomato plants, thankfully. But half of my potato plants are laying on the ground. Will they perk back up? The only thing that I can do is to put stakes in the ground on each side of the row and use twine to hold the plants up. I don't have enough stakes to do each plant individully.
Thank you!!!!
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applestar
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You don't want to stake potato plants individually, especially after they're growing because you could jab the growing potatoes. It's best to corral them like you did. Stakes in four corners or more depending on size of patch, soft thick twine or other material that won't cut into the stems around and criss-cross. Putting a 2~3 foot wire fence in a circle helps too. If you have the room, just let the tops sprawl -- unless you have soil-born disease problems -- for better sun exposure for all the leaves.
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applestar
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Some of my corralled potatoes are 5 feet tall. It probably depends on the variety and sun-exposure.
Did you hill (pile up) soil or mulch around the base of the plants to cover up the developing potato tubers? They are ruined if sunlight reaches them because they develop the green skins which is toxic. Typically, well-hilled plants are supported from falling over as much.
Did you hill (pile up) soil or mulch around the base of the plants to cover up the developing potato tubers? They are ruined if sunlight reaches them because they develop the green skins which is toxic. Typically, well-hilled plants are supported from falling over as much.
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BrianSkilton
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Yeah, they should be fine. I have been battling the wind all season, 40mph days to 50mph days. I also had a storm roll through with reported winds at 75 mph or more. I have never seen such a strong storm in all my life, the rain was falling horizontal. It looked like a hurricane, no joke. The storm leveled the potatoes (and other veg), but the little devils came right back up the NEXT DAY. It was amazing....
Give them some water too if you haven't got rain for awhile, as the dirt dries out extremely fast with high winds. Mulching them in or hilling with peat moss works great too.
Give them some water too if you haven't got rain for awhile, as the dirt dries out extremely fast with high winds. Mulching them in or hilling with peat moss works great too.
