Potato mulching question

[Kimberlina]

I have been mulching my potatoes like crazy- mulched them good before I went away to the beach, then just mulched them again about 10 minutes ago. So my question is (and I know I can just go find it somewhere, but I'd rather get my answer here When do I stop mulching? I haven't grown potatoes since I was a little kid, and we piled dirt on them, not mulch (though I imagine they both have the same effect) but I don't really remember anything about the experience other than digging them up.

Rhonda, if you are reading, I did check out the link you provided, which is basically what I am doing with my potatoes, but it just says to top it off as needed. So how much of my plant should be above the mulch, and when do I stop topping it off?

[forestdale]

It's good to have you back here, Kimber.

A long as you have a good covering over your potatoes, like 6 or 7 inches of straw or hay, you can leave them alone now until they flower. When you see the flowers disappear, you can harvest your new potatoes. If you don't know about these or don't know how to do it, let me know and I'll post it. We've been eating new potatoes this past week and they are like the best potatoes ever. I generally mulch when I see the new shoots emerging, then I mulch again when they're tall. I make sure the second mulching is a thick one and then I leave them until I "steal" the new potatoes and harvest the main crop.

Oh, you're right about the dirt and mulch doing the same thing.

[Kimberlina]

Oh, well, they are already flowering, but I thought they needed more mulch. There might be 6-8 inches there now. So I guess I should just wait until they flowers disappear....

[forestdale]

Kimber, you can never have too much mulch. Whatever the plants don't need will break down and add valuable organic matter to your soil. It should be our aim as organic gardeners to improve the fertility of our soil every year. You've done that. Potatoes are also good for breaking up sub-soil too so you've won on two fronts.