Green Potatoes - need some insights

[Enonymous]

Hi

I'm growing potatoes in chicken wire rounds and they are going gang busters. I'm looking to do my verion of "Hilling" with a layer of compost and then top up with tightly packed lucerne mulch. My question is...the growth is quite tall and though I can't see any fully formed potatoes exposed to the light, will this negatively affect the potatoes below if it DOES happen.

EG. If I hill and a sneaky potato growths in the light of day, turning it green, does that mean that ALL the potatoes below ground are inedible?????

 

[Marck]

One green potato will not effect other potatoes.
The concern is that where there is chlorophyll on a potato (Solanum tuberosum) there might also be the production of Solanine and other toxic alkaloids. Some cautious people dispose of any potato that is even slightly green, while others just cut off the green parts and seem to usually survive. In any case, hilling early and thoroughly is a very good way to avoid that situation altogether.

 

[gary350]

Hi

I'm growing potatoes in chicken wire rounds and they are going gang busters. I'm looking to do my verion of "Hilling" with a layer of compost and then top up with tightly packed lucerne mulch. My question is...the growth is quite tall and though I can't see any fully formed potatoes exposed to the light, will this negatively affect the potatoes below if it DOES happen.

EG. If I hill and a sneaky potato growths in the light of day, turning it green, does that mean that ALL the potatoes below ground are inedible?????

Too much nitrogen will make very large plants and very small crop of new potatoes. Keep my potatoes covered with a minimum of 1" of soil. Visible light is blocked but sun radiation will go through 1" of soil and make green potatoes. I always try to maintain 2" of soil over new potatoes. I cut large plants off at the soil surface I want large potatoes not plants. Save green potatoes for seed potatoes to plant in the fall when you have first frost. I fertilize potatoes with 5-20-20. I planted my fall potatoes Nov 5th and my potato harvest will probably be about May 10 or 16 soon as soil warms up to 65° it will be time for potatoes to be gone to make room for, tomatoes, peppers, beans, melons, corn, etc. Here is a photo of my winter potato rows covered with 5" of snow. My saves potatoes are smarter than ME when eyes start growing in fall it is time to plant potatoes. 50 years ago my Grandfather tough me to plant potatoes after last frost but I don't do that anymore I plant on or before first frost. I save ping pong ball size potatoes with 1 eye to replant.