Why Potato Plant Dying Before Flowering | Here’s What You Need to Know

Every gardener wants to grow potato in their garden but sometime they start dying before even start flowering which is disheartening and make people frustrated.

The problem that cause potatoes dying before flowering is lies in different factors which include, pest attack, inconsistence watering, diseases attack, etc. Condition likes these prevent potatoes to reach their full potential and they eventually die before even producing potatoes.

These happened to me couple of times and I spent years figuring it out that what causing it, how to solve it and how to even prevent it from happening it in first place. So after years I finally knowns its full detailed about premature potato plant dying . So let me share everything I know so lets get to it without wasting anytime.

Why Potato Plants Dying Before Flowering:

If you start planting potatoes and see some of the potatoes start dying before even start flowering, then you are not alone, every gardeners went through this. The potato plants become most vulnerable during their flowering stage, which is considered a critical stage because they also start growing tubers beneath the soil. Due to its vulnerability, there are a lot of things that try to kill it before it even starts flowering. Some of the most common are given below.

Pest and Diseases:

Pest and diseases are some of the most common reasons for potato plants turning yellow before flowering and dying prematurely. Different diseases damage the plant before it even reaches the flowering stage. In potatoes blight, early blight, caused by the fungus Alternaria Sloane, and late blight, caused by phytophthora, are some of the most common diseases that kill the plant before flowering. You recognize it by black spots on the leaves, and it quickly spreads to the rest of the plant, and eventually, the plant dies.

While on the other hand, different pest like, beetles, aphides, and nematodes feeding on its roots and leaves and so weaken them which make it unable to even produce the flowers.

All you have to do is to regularly check the plants for wilting and pest attacks, and if you find any signs, then take appropriate steps to protect your plant.

Verticillium Wilt:

Verticillium wilt is disease that also know by the name Verticillium albo-atrum and Verticillium dahliae. It usually happens to crops due to insect damage, nutrient deficiencies, too much heat, and drought. One of its symptoms is its leaves and veins begin yellowing. It is one of the most dangerous diseases that could attack potatoes, which causes them to die prematurely.

To prevent it from happening, you need a proper crop rotation management plan, and it is consider one of the best solutions. Now, some of you don’t know what is crop rotation management. Well, it means that you need to plant another plant sequentially on the same plane to optimize the soil and improve its health.

Related: How to Care for Cauliflower Plants

Poor Soil:

Now you might think what soil had to do with potatoes dying before flowering, but trust me, it plays an important role in the growth of potatoes and every other plant. While growing your potatoes, you need to prepare the soil according to the potato’s needs. Potatoes need and like slightly acidic soil, which should have all the required nutrients like potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorous. If your soil has all of these things, then you don’t need to worry, but if not, then your potatoes might die before even flowering due to nutrient deficiencies and poor soil.

So what you need to make it right, well you need test the soil before planting you potatoes. Also, check its pH level and adjust it with lime and sulfur to give your potatoes a favorable environment to thrive.

Watering Issues:

Whenever a beginner gardener asks me about their plant’s premature death, then I always say it is because of overwatering or underwatering, which is also the case of why are potato plants not flowering. Watering too little or too much can stress potato plants, and as a result, they either die before flowering or reduce the growth of potatoes. You need to water the required amount to your potato plants. Normally potatoes need once or twice water a day depending upon your climate.

To prevent overwatering issues, you need to have well-drained soil that prevents waterlogging for your potatoes.

Environmental Stress:

Environmental stress is also one of the most common killers of potato plants, even before flowering. You might things its impossible but trust me it killed my potatoes plants along with some other plant before I figure it out.

The environmental stress includes frost, excessive heat, temperature fluctuations, too much or too little fertilizer, and too much or too little sun. Now you might think about the best condition for potatoes. Well potato needs and do better in cooler temperature with limited hours of sunlight. You need to keep you plant under proper monitoring.

Preventing Potato Plants from Dying Before Flowering:

There are some steps that I take whenever I’m planting potatoes to prevent them from dying before flowering. I made a list of them and explained them in the blog below.

• To prevent any disease attacks, I apply a pesticide and fungicide spray as soon as it grows. What it does is protect the potato plants from pests and fungi.
• For pest control, I usually avoid insecticides because they can kill helpful predators like ladybugs, who eat pests like aphids, and reduce their population. I usually hand pick those pest but if its hard for you or too much to pick then you can sure use insecticides.
• To improve soil health, you need to use organic fertilizer before and during the planting of potatoes. To prevent potatoes form soil disease I also usually covers for potato crops which also protect it form hot blazing sun during the afternoon.
• Having proper watering techniques is very important for every plant, as it prevents it from different types of issues. I normally water my potatoes once a week but you should water you potatoes according to your area and its atmosphere.

Conclusion:

Potatoes die before flowers, which is the reason of pest attacks, watering issues, soil problems, and attacks by different diseases. Some of those conditions are curable while others are not, which is why you need to prevent them from happening in the next seasons.

I hope you understand why are my potato plants dying, but if you still face any issues understanding it or have any questions, please ask them in the comment section, and I will answer them as soon as possible. For more gardening information, please visit Garden Crafting.