Do I pick the flowers off potatoes to make them grow bigger?

[SLC]

I JUST planted my Russet potatoes on.....either April 30 or May 5 - it was one of those weekends. Anyway, It's only been just over a month, and they are already starting to flower. Is that bad?

I have been doing research and it says that when it starts to flower, it means the tubers are starting to form. But it's only been 5-6 weeks...is that normal?

Also, I have been finding conflicting information about if I should pick the flowers off to make the potatoes grow bigger or not. So, if I pick off the flowers, will the potatoes grow bigger? I've read yes and no. Does anyone know from experience?

Any help is appreciated, thanx!

By the way, I also noticed that my Roma tomatoes are starting to flower, and they are only like a foot tall, and not too, too leafy....is that normal? What should I do?

Oh yeah, and also my Tendergreen cucumers are starting to flower and they are only like 6-8 inches tall! I had started them inside on April 1. Is that normal?

Any advice is really appreciated, thanx!

[SPierce]

I'm next to you in western mass, and am running into the same thing as well. My tomatoes are about 2ft or so, and have already started to flower- my potatoes are also doing the same thing, I planted mine mid-april. I'm leaving both, especially the potato flowers- I think it also means that you can start digging around in the dirt for some potatoes to eat during dinner!

I had some red potato plants bloom last year, and I still ended up with potatoes the size of my first. I don't think leaving or removing the flowers will make a difference in the sizes. I'm also letting everything bloom, too, so I can save some true potato seed for next year!

[mattie g]

For tomatoes, I don't think I've ever been in a situation in which they have developed flowers when the plants were too small. If the plants are healthy and have good, strong stems, then they should be healthy enough to produce fruit. If not, I'd imagine they'll just drop the blossom or the fruit won't grow beyond pea size.

A foot tall is a little small, but I've had Romas that flowered at about the same size and did just fine. I say just let them go.

[rainbowgardener]

yup... sounds like your plants are all doing fine. If it has been really warm where you are, that may have speeded up their schedule a bit. If they are too immature to develop fruit, they will just drop the blossoms. Otherwise you are on your way to an early crop.

I don't think the blossoms have anything to do with how large the potato tubers get and I would leave them alone.

[jal_ut]

I don't remove blossoms. They will do fine.

[digitS']

You know, I don't think I've ever read about gardeners removing potato flowers. I suppose that if the plants are really on their way to producing "fruit" - flower-removal will lead to larger tubers than otherwise. Of course, the plants may not actually set any fruit. Quite a few potato varieties never even get around to blooming. Potato reproduction has relied on cloning (planting tubers) for a good long while and not too much on sexual reproduction.

Looking at the Hartford weather over the last month, I can see that you've gone thru some changes. Two & three weeks ago, it was hot. Your plants went thru some days in the high 80's and 90's. Then, it cooled off.

They may have just thought that they'd experienced an entire growing season and were headed to the 1st fall frost . A little more weather normality should help put them back on a track for continued production. You can help things along by assuring adequate soil moisture & plant nutrients. Things may not be quite as they could have been this year but then, they never really are . . . or, something.

Steve