Are potatoes ready to dig up...

when the plant is dead? I planted some for the first time last year and after beginning to grow quite nicely something came in (not potato beetles) and ate them up within days. This year I gave it another go and they are all coming up quite nicely. If I remember right from hubby's aunt, I dig them up when the plants die. Is this correct?

If you want small new one you can dig the dirt off the roots to see how large they are getting, then cover them back up if they aren't the size you want. If not then wait until the plants die. Good luck!

Thank you, Abbigail!

Smiling & Waving,
Sharon

to tell if potatoes are readyI've always heard to wait unitl they flower and then dig them. your also spposed to kepp burying the stem up to the top leaves for awhile so the plant will produce more potatoes.

Thats just what I've hear I've never actualy tried to grow spuds before.

I've never heard that about continuing to burry them. Anyone else heard of this? If it'll produce more spuds I'm there!

Here's another question, but pertaining to fingerling potatoes. I planted some fingerling potatoes (purple, red, & yellow). Again, new to them planting wise but have always enjoyed eating them. Are they like new potatoes where I want to dig them up when they're the right size (small) or are they naturally small and will not grow large?

Smiling & Waving,
Sharon

As the name suggests, fingerling potatoes are somewhat finger shaped in appearance. They are smaller, longer, and much narrower than the more common and popular potato varieties.They also have fewer and shallower eyes.
Skin colors range from red, pink, and white, to yellow, purple, or cream colored. The flesh is usually white, yellow, pink, or blue in color.

Cooking with Fingerling Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes are delicious and can be prepared and cooked the same as ordinary potatoes. Some fingerling varieties such as “Russian Banana” are especially suited to creating fantastic potato salads because of their flavor and firm, almost waxy textures. In addition to making great potato salads, fingerlings are great when boiled, baked, or roasted. They can even be grilled, roasted over coals, or added to vegetable kabobs.

Cultivation and Harvesting

Plant fingerling varieties just as you would plant other varieties, except you can plant the seed tubers whole or cut in half. The growing season is longer for fingerlings and they require more time to mature and size up.
Don’t bother with trying to harvest baby fingerlings, just let them grow until it’s time to harvest mature potatoes when the vines start to die back. After harvesting, brush the dirt off but don’t wash them until you’re ready to cook them, and avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight.