I'm not sure it has to do with time in the ground as my plants aren't anywhere near harvest time. Just last week I got some small new potatoes and normally my plants stay in the ground until they dieback, which they aren't close to doing yet, once again I think this is because we have had such a wet spring and early summer. We have even had humid days which is something definately out of the norm here. But what ever the reason it'll be fun to experiment next season with the pods :rainbow-sun