Can You Harvest Potatoes Too Early?

Yes, you can harvest potatoes too early, and doing so is a common mistake. While early harvesting won’t usually harm the plant, it does reduce yield and can affect flavour, texture, and storage potential. Knowing when potatoes are truly ready helps you get the best balance between timing and quality.

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What Happens If You Harvest Potatoes Too Early?

Harvesting potatoes before they are ready usually results in:

• Very small tubers
• Lower overall yield
• Thin skins that damage easily
• Poor storage potential
• Less developed flavour

Early-harvested potatoes are best eaten immediately and are not suitable for storage.

Early Potatoes vs Maincrop Potatoes

Understanding the difference is important.

Early potatoes are meant to be harvested young, but even they can be lifted too soon if tubers haven’t reached usable size.

Maincrop potatoes should never be harvested early unless absolutely necessary, as they need time to bulk up and develop thick skins.

Signs You’ve Harvested Too Early

Potatoes may have been harvested too early if:

• Tubers are very small or marble-sized
• Skins rub off easily with light pressure
• Plants are still growing strongly with lush green foliage
• There has been little or no flowering (for early potatoes)

These signs indicate the plant was still actively developing tubers.

When Early Potatoes Are Ready (Not Too Early)

Early potatoes are ready when:

• Plants begin to flower
• Tubers reach usable size
• Skins are thin but intact

Harvesting slightly early is acceptable for early potatoes if you want very small “new” potatoes, but yields will be limited.

Why Maincrop Potatoes Should Not Be Harvested Early

Maincrop potatoes need time to:

• Reach full size
• Develop thick, protective skins
• Build dry matter for good cooking and storage quality

Harvesting maincrop potatoes before foliage dies back results in poor storage life and easily damaged tubers.

What If You Only Harvest a Few Early?

It’s fine to carefully lift a plant or remove a few tubers to check size. However, repeated disturbance damages roots and reduces final yield. If checking, harvest one plant fully rather than repeatedly digging around others.

Can Potatoes Recover If Harvested Too Early?

Once potatoes are harvested, they cannot continue growing. However, if you only harvest a small number and leave the rest of the plant undisturbed, remaining tubers will continue to develop normally.

When Harvesting Early Is Necessary

Sometimes early harvesting is unavoidable due to:

• Blight infection
• Flooding or waterlogged soil
• Pest damage
• Frost risk

In these cases, harvesting early is better than losing the crop entirely, even if quality is reduced.

Best Practice to Avoid Harvesting Too Early

To avoid harvesting too soon:

• Follow correct timelines from planting
• Look for flowering (earlies) or foliage dieback (maincrop)
• Check tuber size carefully
• Be patient and allow skins to set

Waiting an extra week or two often makes a big difference.

Final Thoughts

Yes, you can harvest potatoes too early, and doing so usually leads to smaller yields and poorer quality. Early potatoes can be lifted slightly young for fresh eating, but maincrop potatoes should always be left until fully mature. Patience is key—giving potatoes time to finish growing rewards you with better size, flavour, and storage quality.