However, the skin on the potato does harden and cure to make it stronger for storage. We recommend leaving the potatoes in the ground for about 2 weeks after the plants have died off.
Can you wait too long to harvest potatoes?
If you harvest your potatoes too early, you can miss out on a heavy crop, but if you wait too long, they could be damaged by frost. To pick the best time for digging potatoes, watch what's happening with the foliage.
Can you leave potatoes in the ground too long?
Generally speaking, storing potatoes in the ground is not the most recommended method, especially for any long term storage. Leaving the tubers in the ground under a heavy layer of dirt that may eventually become wet will most certainly create conditions that will either rot the potato or encourage sprouting.
How do you know when it's time to dig up potatoes?
It's time to dig up your tender, homegrown potatoes when the buds drop or the flowers that do bloom begin to fade. Another good indication is seeing unopened flower buds dropping from the plant. At this point, the leaves will still be green but some will begin fading to yellow.
Can you leave potatoes in the ground over winter?
If you will do this early in spring, you can eventually eat the rest of potatoes, you should check visually that they are still full and no green parts. This was a "traditional" way to store potatoes (and other vegetables) in winter: putting them under dirt/sable. But usually it is done inside, humid but not wet.
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