Grow Your Own Magazine

I'm a first time gardener this season so looking to you forum memebrs for a bit of expert advice!

I stuck in my spuds approx 6 weeks ago, and they are growing well and looking to flower in the next few weeks. However I was clearing the weeds from the patch and I noticed the edges of some of the leaves are slightly yellow tinged. I read something in a book that this was due to the soil type, and I may need to add something to it (can't remember what!). A fellow allotment gardener told me it could be blight, and I should think about digging it up before it spoils the rest of the crop - any ideas??

Next to my spuds are my shallots, they have been in slighly longer and are about 40cm high, but the tops look to be dying. It looks as though they need watering, however it has been pouring down all week on the allotment (& it has been mulched with horse manure). I have read someone that they don't need to be constantly watered. Is that right, or could the dying out be something else??

Any ideas would be great to save my first ever home grown crop of veg!

With the strange weather we've had recently it's no wonder crops are looking a bit sad. Yellow edges to your potato leaves could be wind damage or they may need a feed (water on liquid feed or spread a little Growmore between the rows). It doesn't sound like blight - that's brown rotting patches.
As for your shallots, depending on how long they've been in the ground they could be nearly ready to harvest, hence the "dying" leaves. What do the bulbs look like?

Hello Vicpivo, and welcome to the Vine. If you look at all the posts on here (take you the rest of your life) you will see that everybody is worried about every little spot on every leaf. Sometimes plants do have problems which can be diagnosed from leaf problems, but most of it is just plants don't have perfect leaves any more than we all have perfect skin.
I think the "problem" with your shallots is that they are nearly ready. Keep them going until the foliage is spent and then they are yours to enjoy.
As for your potatoes, well I think they have 6 or 7 weeks to go to be ready. Don't know how yellow they are. Doesn't sound like blight. The usual cause of yellowing leaves is magnesium deficiency. This might not affect the potato crop at all. If you're worried you could spray them with magnesium sulphate (from the garden centre ) or Epsom Salts (same thing, from the chemist). 2 teaspoons to a pint of water or 8 teaspoons to the gallon. You can spray every day for a week to begin with then repeat every 2 weeks if you have to. If magnesium is the problem, spraying produces instant results, you will see the result tomorrow.
Or there may be no problem - like I am pale and you are tanned.
And Vic - potatoes don't always flower. You can count how many weeks they have been planted or harvest when the foliage dies dwon.
Whichever - enjoy

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Cheers Alice & Rusty Lady!

I guess I'm not going to be the last first time gardener panicking beofre there first harvest. Hopefully as you say nothing is wrong, and I'll harvest the shallots this weekend.

Cheers

Another thing thats handy for a first time gardener is the Veg and Herb Expert by Hessayon. Its really helped me, been running to look at it every time I spot something different on my plants.
Happy growing
Kirsty

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updated 14 May 2008

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