potato (blight) question

[slc304]

Hi all,

First post. After some assistance. I planted my first earlies a couple of weeks ago. They came up nicely but today I noticed yellow and brown patches along with areas of black and dead curled leaves on all of the plants. Unfortunately I do not have pictures as I removed all affected leaves promptly and burnt. I think it is a tad early for blight but what do you guys think?! I am in wiltshire and have experienced two days of heavy rain followed by warmer sunnier spells. We also had a frost two days ago... I am very worried as I have a large potato plot on my allotment and planted 70 in total. Don't want to lose them all! Any advice would be appreciated!

[WendyC]

Highly unlikely to be blight, much more likely to be frost damage. They should recover.

[scarey55]

Hello and welcome to the Vine You're right, it is far too early for blight see here. My guess is frost. My potatoes have been frosted three times now but they are still hanging in there. They have gone brown and wilted (think cooked cabbage leaves) Hopefully they'll come back and just be a bit later to mature.

[Currysniffa]

I concur. Way to early for blight more likely to be frost damage. Pull the soil over the foliage if you can or cover with fleece if there a chance of more frost. Welcome the the vine BTW

[Knight of Albion]

A very warm welcome to the forum.

No, not likely to be blight. Especially not if they're certified seed potatoes, as I trust these are.

[Bill HH]

Welcome, I agree its frost damage, spuds are tough and will re shoot more leaves providint the tuber themselves didn't get frosted

[Two_Sheds]

I removed all affected leaves promptly and burnt.

you don't even have to burn blighted leaves, just bury them in the compost heap

We also had a frost two days ago.

That's the cause of your woes ~ spud foliage should be covered up if a frost is due, if you're at all able to do so. If not, they are probably going to be OK anyway, throwing up new leaves soon

[slc304]

Hi all. Thanks for the reassurance and warm welcome. Just one more question...what if blight was already in the soil? My plot is new and had been neglected by the last owner. Although I found all his old potatoes in another bed I have a nagging doubt he may have grown them in the other bed too...

[Kristen]

Hwhat if blight was already in the soil?

"In the soil" won't hurt (AFAIK). What I think ahs to happen is that it has to overwinter in a tuber, that grows, the plant is infected, at some point Blight "matures" enough to then start spreading onto other spuds.

If you get any "volunteer" spuds coming up, from previous year's crops, dig them out and chuck them on the compost heap / away.

You WILL get volunteers, because even a pin-head tuber will grow next year, and you definitely won't harvest all of those when you lift your potatoes