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Have you discover diminished tomato - like fruits growing on the tops of your spud plants ? This challenging phenomenon might storm you as it deviates from the norm ofharvesting white potato tubers , not fruit , on potato plants . Explore the captivating reasons behind this occurrent and unravel the secrets behind your anthesis and fruiting potato plant life .
Potatoes and the Nightshade Family
Potatoes belong to the Nightshade or Solanaceous family , which include other plants such as tomatoes , capsicum , andeggplants . These plants share law of similarity regarding disease , plague , and even physical characteristic .
For instance , tomatoes and spud both get sham by pest like tomato hornworm anddiseases like late blight . Also , horticulturists graft a Lycopersicon esculentum - potato plant known as " TomTato , " which produce tomato on top and potatoes in the soil ; these plants are cognise to produce footling output .
But sometimes , the flowering and fruiting of potato works pass off course , without any grafting require .
Potato Flowers and Fruits
Potato plants get flowers of course , which can assist identify the spud variety . These flowers might looklike tomato flowersbut have different colors , like livid , lavender , or pinko . Potato flowers indicate that the plant is starting to produce the Tuber ! The flowers generally do not spring up into a fruit as they fall off the plant in the dry summer months of July and August .
Potatoes can manifold through seeds , although home gardeners typically usetubers for multiplication . The truthful seed of potatoes are found in round , greenish seminal fluid pods and resemble small tomatoes due to the close relationship between potatoes and tomatoes within the Solanaceae family .
Flower and Fruit Development in Potatoes
There can be several reasons why or why not your potato plant produces flowers and fruits .
Specific weather conditions , like cooler weather in July and August ( below 80 degree Fahrenheit ) and pelting , appropriate the white potato vine flowers to stay , be cross-pollinate , and develop into diminished murphy fruits . Potato fruit are in the main green , resemble one shot or oblongcherry tomatoes , and appear in clusters . Inside the fruit , you will line up up to 500 tiny seeds .
Growing multiple white potato vine varieties also increases the chance of cross - pollenation and the subsequent formation of these yield , especially if you have bumblebee in your garden , as they are most efficacious for potato pollenation .
The fact that you are growingdomesticated or furious potato varietiesalso pretend whether your potato plants will develop efflorescence and fruits . gaga potatoes often prioritise this fruit production , and only a pocket-size percentage of domestic tater change produce flush and fruits .
Lastly , viral infection and other diseases like late blight , early blight , and Fusarium wilt can weaken the potato plant life , affecting its physiological functions , include flowering . The front of diseases can break up the plant ’s internal processes and limit its power to produce flower .
' Yukon Gold ' potato variety fruits more heavily than other cultivars .
Inedible and Potentially Toxic Potato Fruits
While it can be thrilling to see tiny fruits on your spud plant , they are n’t edible and are poisonous . Potato fruitscontain gamey level of solanine , a toxic compound that can cause severe illness if ingest .
The same forethought applies to potatoes that sour green when exposed to sunlight , as they also control solanine . symptom of solanine poisoning admit headache , abdominal pain in the ass , blow , and diarrhea .
Harvesting Potato Seeds
While you could use the seeds found within potato fruits to grow new varieties , the resulting white potato vine would not needfully resemble the parent works . Also , they may take several years to get through a harvestable sizing . Generally , only breeders and growers use seeds from potato fruits to farm a new variety of potatoes .
There are a few consideration and attack for harvest home berries and extracting true potatoseeds from potato plants .
Growing Potatoes at Home
tater prosper in cheery locations and opt fertile , well - draining ground for optimum takings . You cangrow potatoes at homefrompotato seeds , which are whole or partial tubers with one or more eyes ( or sprouts ) . Plant the potato seeds 14 to 21 sidereal day before the last frost date or when the grease temperature is at least 50 degree Fahrenheit .
Potatoes are classifiedinto three chief groups based on their maturity and harvesting times – first early , second other , and maincrop . The first former potatoes are ready to harvest between 10 and 12 workweek after planting . Second early varieties are typically ready to harvest between 13 and 15 weeks after planting . Maincrop potatoes take the long to ripen , ranging from 20 weeks for early and 26 weeks for late maincrop variety .
Surprise!
The flowering and fruiting of white potato vine plants can be an unexpected occurrence . The production of fruits on potato plants is a natural physical process , although infrequent . commemorate that these white potato vine fruits are unsuitable for phthisis due to their toxicity . If you encounter this phenomenon in your spud patch , appreciate it as a fascinating happening . Happy horticulture !
