is this kale, a brassica, something else?

[pbwhatl]

hello all. 1st time post here. These are shooting up allover my raised bed.

they somewhat coincide where I planted my kale rows, but they don't look like images of kale seedlings that I've seen. (I've never grown it before). It is growing vigorously.

it looks very similar to a weed in my yard but with hairs and thicker stems. Taproots are incredibly deep. Looks similar to my zucchini sprouts.

my only thought is maybe seeds from my compost.

anyone? thank you for your time and help in advance

[applestar]

It's no brassica -- it's potato

...wait taproot? Did you actually dig one up with some kind of a seed on it? Or are you saying thick white root-like structure going down deep?

If its not potatoes, then some kind of solanacea weed is possible, but ...sure looks like potato to me.

[cynthia_h]

Yeah, looks like potatoes to me, too. Could conceivably be potato-leafed tomatoes, but they wouldn't have a taproot. Their roots would be like normal tomato roots.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[!potatoes!]

potato x3

[pbwhatl]

potato? wouldn't I have to have seed potatoes to do that? by tap root, I meant long white root.

it's growing like crazy.

[applestar]

Have you tried following that long white root?

Potato peelings and even potato eyes cut off from potatoes can survive in the compost and grow. That may be what's happening in relatively freeze-free area like Alabama.

Even here in NJ where winter temps can get down to single digits, certainy teens even in warmish winter like last year and this year, some forgotten or unharvested potatoes have survived In the garden and grown in spring, resulting in crop rotation dilemma.

OK any other possibility? Do these look at all like tomatillos? I'm thinking they look a bit like ground cherries but sturdier/huskier.

[pbwhatl]

well I stuck my hand deep into the soil following the root of this plant. I pulled up a little yellow potato!!

I feel dumb now. I'm amazed that my garden is full of potatoes though. very unexpected. I'll have to see how many of them I can keep. I've always wanted to grow potatoes.

thank you so much guys