Are potato-leaved varieties more vigourous?

[tam91]

I am just curious. I planted 20 varietes at once in a seed row tray. When transplanting them, I noticed that the potato-leaved varieties tended to have a lot more roots (like 4x as many) as the regular-leaved varieties. The plants weren't necessarily bigger though.

I just thought it was interesting - is there any significance to this?

[organichris]

I only have one potato leaf growing, Olive Hill. The only other one I've ever grown was Brandywine, so I don't have any experience with them. But I noticed that, when it got up into the 80's the other day, and my plants were wilted because the sun dried them out, not a single one of the Olive Hill plants wilted. But they are not any more vigorous than any other variety than I'm growing, and I haven't noticed a difference in the root systems.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by tam91

I am just curious. I planted 20 varietes at once in a seed row tray. When transplanting them, I noticed that the potato-leaved varieties tended to have a lot more roots (like 4x as many) as the regular-leaved varieties. The plants weren't necessarily bigger though.

I just thought it was interesting - is there any significance to this?

I've grown lots and lots of PL varieties b'c I like them, and no, I've not noticed that their root balls are larger, etc.

About all I can say is that there's a huge range of plant vigor amongst all the RL and PL varieties I've grown so no one leaf form has better roots, smaller or larger plants,etc. At least based on my past experiences growing a few thousand varieties.

[tam91]

I guess it's just how mine turned out then.

I'm trying to think what PL varieties I've grown before - might be only Brandy Boy. That was a nice big enthused plant. But before, I was limited to what I found at the nursery, so this year will be an exciting change.

Now, if it would just stop snowing...