I just read a little about potato beetles, because I've heard of 'em before but didn't know about the threat they pose.

Your comment about the flowers makes so much sense - of course most actual potato growers don't cut the flowers off, there's no time!

I think I just jumped to putting some top soil down on the wet, mushy, soaked soil and cutting flowers off as a knee-jerk reaction because I am worried I hurt the plants with my laziness not undoing the spigot on the tub.