Is it necessary to pick flowers from potatoes or not?

Ogorodniki and even scientists-potato growers can not come to a single opinion - whether it is necessary to tear flowers from potatoes or not. Some advocate for their removal, because the bush spends its energy on the formation of berries and seeds, while the tubers themselves do not have time to grow large and healthy. Others argue that each plant has its own development cycle, to intervene in which it is not necessary to interrupt it.

To determine whether the flowering of potatoes affects the future harvest, the scientists conducted a study. They planted three rows of one variety and looked after them the same way. When it was time to blossom, the first row was left as is, on the second one all the flowers were cut off, and the third was cut off by the top. As a result, it turned out that where there were flowers of potatoes, not a lot of tubers were formed, but all are large, almost of the same size. In the second row there were more potatoes, but not the same size, a lot of small things. Wherever the tops were cut, there were about 30 tubers in each hole, but they were all very small.

This experiment answered the question "Should we tear flowers from potatoes". When the plant is injured, it affects the growth of tubers. If you really want to stimulate them, you should cut off only flowers and buds, and not shoots, peduncles. In this case, new shoots are not formed, and nutrients go directly to the tubers, which, in turn, grow large. There are varieties that do not bloom at all or form little inflorescences, in this case it is not worth interfering with the development of the plant.

When deciding whether to cut off flowers from potatoes, it is worth considering the soil-climatic zone and weather conditions. In arid and windy regions, pollen is often sterile, so it does not interfere with the development of tubers. But in the rainy weather, nutrients are enough for all the bush, so you do not have to worry about its development. If you answer the question of whether you need to pick flowers from potatoes, then the answer is more likely to be negative than positive. Because flowering does not particularly affect the ripening of tubers, but damage to the bush can adversely affect the future crop.

First, it takes unnecessarily a lot of time to correct the plant. Secondly, as a result of walking between the rows, the soil is trampled, which negatively affects the yield. Third, a person can tolerate the causative agents of fungal, viral or bacterial diseases, he will infect all the bushes and spoil the tubers, tearing away the flowers of potatoes. Photos of beautiful and healthy potatoes induce gardeners to various experiments, but not all of them are successful. Before you deal with tearing flowers, you should check the result on several bushes, as each variety reacts differently.

In addition, many are interested in the question of "whether you need to hoe potatoes." This procedure is done to remove excess moisture and better warming the soil. For this reason, hills should be practiced in rainy regions, but in the arid terrain this can only be damaged, because hot dry winds from the raised beds blow out the remains of moisture.