SLC
Senior Member
Posts: 232
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 9:18 pm
Location: Central Connecticut

Potato/Tomato Question

Yesterday I was just starting to plant stuff in my garden, and when I was looking around for weeds, I saw something and went to pull it up, but it wouldn't budge, and I was like, wait a minute, that looks like a potato plant! Now this was nowhere near where I planted my potatoes last year. BUT, my boyfriend just tilled up the garden, about a foot or so deep and said everything was so moved around that it shouldn't matter if I plant over where I planted the same thing last year, and I guess he was right. Anyway, this potato plant, at least that's what I think it is, is located right near where I was going to plant my tomatoes. It's only one plant and it's about 6 inches away from where I was going to plant my first tomato. And I would feel really bad killing this potato plant that found its way to re-emerge this year. Now, I know it's said not to plant potatoes and tomatoes near each other because they get the same disease - blight. But is there any other reason? Do you think I should kill the potato plant? There is nowhere else I can plant the tomatoes cuz I just don't have the room. Of course, in the end, the tomato plant might take over the potato plant anyway....

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

When the potatoes are ready to be harvested, which will be around late July to mid-August, you have to dig EVERYTHING UP within about 12" radius of the plant to search out all the potato tubers. This would be when the tomato is just getting into full production. ...You see?

SLC
Senior Member
Posts: 232
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 9:18 pm
Location: Central Connecticut

applestar wrote:When the potatoes are ready to be harvested, which will be around late July to mid-August, you have to dig EVERYTHING UP within about 12" radius of the plant to search out all the potato tubers. This would be when the tomato is just getting into full production. ...You see?
So I would be digging into the tomato roots you mean? Last year I was still harvesting potatoes into October...maybe I could just wait and when the tomato plant dies off dig around under it? I just feel so bad killing something that recreated "life."

Or am I not understanding you correctly?

Also, I don't know how I missed them, but I must have missed a few potatoes when digging them up. How deep do you have to dig for potatoes? Will potatoes form as deep as where you planted the seed potato? Or more near the surface?

User avatar
jal_ut
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7447
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Northern Utah Zone 5

It is a simple matter to move a potato plant at this stage if you want to move it over somewhere else. Just dig a hole where you want it, go put your spade under the plant and lift it up and carry it over and plant it in the new hole. Water, then hill it up a little.



Return to “Vegetable Gardening Forum”