We had a very rainy year and the potato plants loved all that moisture. But knowing exactly when the crop is ready for harvesting is somewhat tricky, especially in your home garden, as you may not be an expert. When thinking of a harvesting, consider the day that you go out to harvest seriously as this can greatly impact the storage quality of the potatoes. Scientifically, potato crop becomes ready for harvesting within a period of 120 to 150 days after the seed potato is sown in the field. Use a knife to cut off the roots. You harvest main crops in late summer, typically in August to September and you know the time is right when much of the foliage on all your plants begin to turn yellow. At this point, you can use a shovel or a garden spade to dig up your potatoes. The potato shoots grow flowers when they are fully grown, and then the flowers fade and wilt when their growth cycle is complete. If you’re harvesting for supper, drive your fork into the soil at the outside edges of the plant. Harvesting can … When potatoes are ready for harvest, the plants look pretty shabby. If you’re harvesting storage potatoes, which have characteristically thick skins, eat the damaged ones first. It will then shrivel up and turn brown and dry, and … Now that you know when to dig potatoes, the question becomes how. Knowing when to harvest potatoes for storage is all about watching your plants. Generally, new potatoes are ready approximately 60-90 days from planting, depending upon the weather and the potato … Carefully lift the plant and remove the potatoes you need. Harvesting Maincrop Potatoes. Too much light will turn them green. Be sure to pick a dry day to harvest as harvesting potatoes and storing them when they are wet means they will rot. Time frame from planting to harvest; when are they ready? Store potatoes in a cool, dark area after harvesting. You can harvest potatoes as soon as they reach the size you desire. Red potatoes, the most common variety of potatoes in the United States, have red skin and white flesh. To harvest potatoes, you’ll need a shovel or a spading fork. The leaves of your plants will start to turn yellow at the end of the season. Washing can easily reduce the storage life and encourage mold. The usual time to harvest red potatoes is when most of the potato vine has died, sometime around 100 to 110 days after planting. Because they are typically small and roundish, they are sometimes called “new” potatoes, which are actually the young immature, tubers harvested early from any potato variety. Earlier in the season I wrote about planting potatoes in a re-purposed, three-bay composting bin. Once the foliage is completely brown and dry, it’s almost time to harvest, but there are a few steps you can take to improve your crop. Harvest your red potatoes 7-8 weeks after planting. 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