Potatoes too close?

[ronsmith100]

From some reading I have discovered that potatoes give off a chemical called juglone that will inhibit tomatoes. I am wondering if I have made a mistake planting them "somewhat" close together.



Potatoes are coming up in the raised bed on the left. Some tomatoes already in on the right. I can dig up the potatoes if I have to. Any suggestions?

[fortyonenorth]

Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and other related veggies are very sensitive to juglone. I don't believe potatoes give-off the chemical, though. I'll be interested to hear others comment.

[tam91]

I have juglone - it comes from walnut trees (the main culprit, also others). As far as I know, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. are sensitive to juglone - i.e. it kills them. I don't believe potatoes give it off.

[GunnarSK]

Originally Posted by ronsmith100

From some reading I have discovered that potatoes give off a chemical called juglone that will inhibit tomatoes. Potatoes are coming up in the raised bed on the left. Some tomatoes already in on the right. I can dig up the potatoes if I have to. Any suggestions?

Potatoes don't produce juglone as far as I know, only walnuts as the name suggests. You may want to run your question with Tom Wagner, either in the potato forum here or in his own.

[ireilly]

http://www.thegardenhoe.com/pdfs/jugloneplants.pdf

[ronsmith100]

Although I can find dozens of companion planting objections to growing poatoes near tomatoes I cannot for the life of me find the link that hooked poatoes and juglone. Which means of course my senior moments are stretching into hours... and hours.

[fortyonenorth]

You read a lot about not planting tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, etc. near each other because they often attract the same pests and diseases. But, to my way of thinking, is it any better (or worse) to plant a tomato next to a potato or a tomato next to another tomato?

[ronsmith100]

Originally Posted by fortyonenorth

You read a lot about not planting tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, etc. near each other because they often attract the same pests and diseases. But, to my way of thinking, is it any better (or worse) to plant a tomato next to a potato or a tomato next to another tomato?

logic is corruption!

[ContainerTed]

Walnut, Bitter Hickory, Sweetgum, and others produce juglone. Google "Juglone" and you'll get a lot of different plants (mostly wild or "woody" plants) that also produce the Nightshade family killer.

You'll also find that there is no quick fix for juglone in your soil. Some estimates I've seen speak of 15 to 20 years of good rain and amendments. I had it down in Georgia from a Bitter Hickory and had to grow everything in containers.

An internet company named Gardener's Choice (they also advertise on TV) used to offer a tomato (usually Subarctic Plenty grafted onto a Pontiac Potato set. You could get tomatoes early and then the potatoes in the fall from one plant set. Potatoes definitely do not put out Juglone.

Ted