potato runners?

piegirl · July 2, 2009

I just went out and dug my first hill of potatoes. After several years of failure I decided to give potatoes one more try. The 1st plant had only one small but while digging around I found a runner coming from the next row, double checked to make sure it was a potato and sure enough there are potato leaves on the end. The next hill yielded 3 medium size and I found another runner. Do these produce potatoes? I reburied the runners and will mulch, etc. if there is a chance for harvest. Thank you - piegirl

**Tom Wagner** · July 4, 2009

The runners you are talking about are stolons, underground stems, that sometimes produce a tuber or two or just sprout up outside the hill a ways to form a new plant so to speak. Unless you have a very healthy and/or late maturing vine, those "runners" probably won't produce much for you after this late date.

Tom Wagner

July 2, 2009	#1
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	potato runners? I just went out and dug my first hill of potatoes. After several years of failure I decided to give potatoes one more try. The 1st plant had only one small but while digging around I found a runner coming from the next row, double checked to make sure it was a potato and sure enough there are potato leaves on the end. The next hill yielded 3 medium size and I found another runner. Do these produce potatoes? I reburied the runners and will mulch, etc. if there is a chance for harvest. Thank you - piegirl

July 4, 2009	#2
Tom Wagner Crosstalk™ Forum Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: 8407 18th Ave West 7-203 Everett, Washington 98204 Posts: 1,157	The runners you are talking about are stolons, underground stems, that sometimes produce a tuber or two or just sprout up outside the hill a ways to form a new plant so to speak. Unless you have a very healthy and/or late maturing vine, those "runners" probably won't produce much for you after this late date. Tom Wagner