Do Yukon Potato Plants Flower Before Bearing?

Do Yukon Potato Plants Flower Before Bearing?

Potatoes are a simple-to-grow harvest that provides gardeners with large yields with proper planting and care. “Yukon Gold” is many different potato that was released into the market in 1981 by Canadian producers. The potato lives up to its name with its yellow flesh which remains yellow even after boiling, baking, mashing or frying. Like other varieties of potatoes, some “Yukon Gold” plants may blossom before creating tubers underground.

“Yukon Gold” Flowers

“Yukon Gold” potatoes bear flowers which are violet to light violet in color. The small, delicate blossoms appear on the conclusion of the erect stem and have yellow anthers. The potatoes do not require cross-pollination; the blooms don’t produce nectar, therefore they don’t attract bees and other insects. But when “Yukon Gold” potato plants begin flowering, this can indicate that tubers are forming underground. The plant’s leaf is olive-green and slightly shiny. There are generally about three purple-colored stems per plant.

Fruit vs. Tuber Production

Since not all “Yukon Gold” potato plants produce blooms, flowering is just not a fantastic indicator on how well the tubers grow or the quality of tubers. A scarcity of flowers also does not necessarily mean that it is not producing tubers in any way. If the plants do flower, those flowers may produce modest, green fruit like appearance of small tomatoes, which house the seeds. The fruit typically hold up to 300 seeds.

Potato “Fruit”

The fruit and seeds created after flowering are poisonous and should not be eaten. You can try putting the seeds, however, the University of Illinois Extension notes that developing a complete potato plant in the real seeds can be hard, and that the seeds have been far more of a curiosity about plant breeders. To develop “Yukon Gold” potatoes in your lawn, purchase certified seed potatoes. Seed potatoes typically are planted 8 to 10 inches apart and 6 inches deep. The tubers have been high-set, therefore if they are not planted deep enough the tuber may protrude out of the ground before harvest.

Tuber Appearance

The tubers of “Yukon Gold” vary from other potatoes due to their yellow flesh and yellowish-white tuber skin with eyes surrounded with pink. It’s the potatoes’ pink eyes which produce “Yukon Gold” distinguishable from other varieties of yellow potatoes. The tubers are slightly oval in shape and melted with medium yield production, and they store well. The yellow potatoes sold at grocery shops are generally the “Yukon Gold” assortment.

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