Potato Plant Dying Before Flowering

Potato is one of the most popular and common vegetables and it is used in different types of foods. It is also quite easy to grow in your home garden. Though it is not a widely popular home grown crop, you can still ensure that you can grow it. If you have already started growing potatoes at home, then you must have different questions about it. While it is possible to grow a healthy potato plant under the ideal growing conditions, one of the common problems that people face is – potato plant dying before flowering. Why does this happen?

If you are wondering the same, then you are not alone! There are many people who are facing the same. Well, there can be different reasons behind it, such as cultural issues and wilts etc. To have a better idea about what exactly is responsible for your potato plant dying without blooming or flowering, read on.

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Reasons why potato plants die before flowering:

There can be different reasons regarding why your plants growing potatoes are dying before they can even bloom. Some of the reasons are discussed below to help you find out the issue in your plant.

1. Dry soil or inconsistent watering

One of the major reasons behind withering of your potato plant is lack of water and dry soil. Your potato plants need a sufficient amount of water for the underground stem to develop fully and completely. Moist soil is essential for the proper growth of the plant and to bloom. You need to make sure that the soil is never drying out when it is the growing season. It is important to be regular and consistent about watering these plants. It needs 2 inches to 3 inches of water underground to maintain the proper moisture of the soil. The moment you stop watering, the soil starts to dry out and the plant dies.

2. Wilting of potato leaves

Wilt is one of the common fungal diseases among the plants that can infect several parts of your plant. This condition can result in the death of the plant too if not treated properly. One of the signs of wilting is the discoloration. If you are wondering – why are my potato plants wilting, then there can be different reasons. You cannot control the outdoor temperature. The plant remains exposed in the wind, rain and sun. Scorching heat of the sun can cause the moisture of the soil to dry out which can lead to wilting too. One of the major causes of wilting is lack of water. Another cause can be overwatering, which can be caused by too much rainfall.

3. Extreme climatic conditions

Another reason why your plants are dying before they can produce flowers is because of the extreme weather or climatic conditions. The potato plant is meant for cooler places. So, when the weather gets extremely hot with the scorching heat of the sun, it can possibly harm the plants. The strong winds and harsh sun rays can potentially damage the entire plants. When the damage gets too much, it can result in death.

4. Fusarium Potato Wilt

This is another disease which you can find in potato plants. In case of Fusarium wilt, the leaves of the plants start getting pale in color. This disease can spread quite fast, turning all the leaves yellow. Once the leaves turn yellow, they will wilt and eventually die off. Like this, the entire plant will gradually die without getting the chance to bloom or to flower. Also, it is quite hard when it comes to dealing with this fusarium wilt if your potato plant is already infested with it.