Frost damage, help!

[mandyballantyne]

Hi All,

Is there anything that can be done for frosted potatoes??

They never got covered last night and a few of the leaves have been struck with frost.

Thanks in advance, Mandy

[Flummery]

If it's just a few leaves you should be alright.

[mrskp]

I've felt it bad again tonight Mandy. You all covered up now ?

[Nicos]

If they are small enough- have you earthed them up a bit more and then fleeced????
I've never grown them for Xmas but it's what I'd do with late spring frosts.
Hope you have rescued them???? Time will tell

[rustylady]

Frosted leaves won't recover, but the tubers (if they're mature) should be OK. If they're new plants then you may have lost your crop.

[mandyballantyne]

Thanks everyone,

They were planted about 7 weeks ago, some in the ground and some in tubs.

Been earthed up and now fleeced, should I cut off the affect top growth? I did this with blight??

Mandy

[Nicos]

I'm probably not the best qualified to answer this one .....but as no-one else has responded.....I'd leave them alone unless they get soggy and look like they might be getting fungal growth.

[mandyballantyne]

Thanks Nico's,

All tucked up now but will be keeping a close eye on them, Mandy

[anthonyjb]

frost

I have just fleeced up my potato tubs is it ok to leave the fleece on rather than take it on and off all the time.
thanks

Anthony

[SarzWix]

Should be fine to leave the fleec on AnthonyJB, it's supposed to let light through. I'd check if they need watering periodically though, in my experience the fleece doesn't let enough water through unless it's a real downpour.

[anthonyjb]

many thanks sarzix

Anthony

[anthonyjb]

or should say Sarzwix

Anthony

[Mozzi]

Also trying Christmas spuds for the first time, and they were badly hit last week. I have earthed them up quite a lot, and then put straw around the plants, so the stems are mostly fine, but the leaves above the straw are pretty battered. I can't remember when I put them in (it's in my diary at home), but I'll leave them as they are for now and see how they get on.

[Mozzi]

Update - the frosts seem to have destroyed the potato plants on the allotment, even under the straw the stems are dead. However, they have now been in for 3 months, and I dug some up yesterday. One plant had nothing, and between 2 other plants I got 11 potatoes, 2 the size of a goose egg, the rest the size of bantam or chicken eggs.

So, the yields are not great, but for a couple of hours' labour I have got 5 potatoes from planting 1, and the soil will be nicely broken up as the allotment is new and hasn't had anything but bindweed and brambles growing on it for 30 years.

The plants in the pots on the patio are much better and have obviously had more protection.

[mandyballantyne]

Hi Mozzi,

Great minds and all that! I had a dig yesterday too.

All the ones in the ground have had it so I dug up one to see ehat was happening, got about 7 spuds not that big but nice Will dig over the rest today/tomorrow or as soon as the ground is not solid with frost and see what I can rescue.

The ones in pots (now in greenhouse) look a bit better but still think I will lose them

Just need to be more prepared for next year.

Mandy