I NEVER KNEW

I have never gotten very excited about growing potatoes. I always plant about 10 pounds of seed potatoes in the early spring and forget about them. They grow, I hill them when they get about 8 inches tall, they proceed to get eaten up by potato beetles, bloom and die back. Then I usually get a few potatoes.

This spring I had some compost left over and planted some Yukon Golds, in a new location. They were planted in pure compost. These plants never had any pests present, they grew about 4 feet tall.

Last week; I noticed that they had produced fruits, resembling cherry tomatoes. I had never seen this before and looked them up. Healthy potato plants produce these fruits. The fruit is poisonous; being a member of the Nightshade family. They also stay green through maturity. Now I know. I guess that I had never seen a truly healthy potato plant before this year.
How to Grow Potatoes: A practical gardening guide for great results, with

How to Garden Potatoes the Easy Way!

The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener

Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition) (Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides)