Preparation for vine kill begins now. Potato plant canopies have begun to spread, the plants are looking healthy and now it's time to begin making plans to kill all the vines, stems and leaves in two months in anticipation of the harvest. There are two methods of vine-kill, mechanical and chemical. The advantage of a chemical application is that, depending upon the product used, it can provide for a greater than 90 percent leaf and stem kill within one to two weeks of application, giving time for thetuber skin to set in order to avoid bruising during harvest and giving the grower a timetable for when he can begin the harvest, said Pamela Hutchinson, the potato cropping systems weed scientist at the University of Idaho's Aberdeen Research and Extension Center. Hutchinson said it takes from one to three weeks for tuber skin set, depending on moisture and cool weather following application of desiccants.
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