Newbie potato grower panicking!

[Catty2]

Hi all,

I am new to growing potatoes and about 50% of my crop are looking big and happy and green, the other 50% are small, yellowing leaves with small dark spots on the leaves.

All grown from proper seed potatoes, varieties 'cara' Casablanca and 'Anya'.

Growing in a raised bed with general use compost and wood chips.

(I have pics, but can't see where to attach them)

Many Thanks,

Catty

[geepee]

Hi Catty'
Welcome to the vine.
To upload photos you may need a few more posts, it works like that unfortunately, unless a Kindly Mod appears.
However, meantime ,which varieties look worse..?
When were they planted..?
Are they all in the same type of compost,had the same amount of sun and water...??
Are they planted in containers/pots or in the ground..??
Were they all planted on the same date..??.
Gp

[Catty2]

which varieties look worse..?

~It's a reasonably even split between all three

When were they planted..?

~late april/early may

Are they all in the same type of compost,had the same amount of sun and water...??

~yes, all treated the same and in the same compost

Are they planted in containers/pots or in the ground..??

~ they are planted in a homemade planter off the ground,

[geepee]

Ok, late April/early May, is that spread between those times or all planted on same day...??
How many plants in total....??.
Gp

[veggiechicken]

Hi Catty'
Welcome to the vine.
To upload photos you may need a few more posts, it works like that unfortunately, unless a Kindly Mod appears.

Hi Catty and welcome
I'm a kindly Mod (sometimes) but I'm unable to help you as the Forum is set up to prevent new members posting photos directly onto it. We've had all sorts of photos posted in the past and many have not been suitable for a family forum.
You may be able to post a link to them if you can post them on a host site. Otherwise, keep posting until you gain the extra privileges.

Are the ailing plants next to each other?

[Catty2]

I totally understand about the pics thing!

Plants are all in the same bed, but not all affected plants are next to each other, they are interspersed with healthy ones.

There are 15 plants in the bed in total (bed is 4m x 1m)

All plants planted on the same day.

the leaves are looking a bit like this (if you google image search) Tomato Plant Disease: Septoria Leaf Spot Pinterest

[Jungle Jane]

Compost loses its nutrients after a while,have you fed them with anything? Ive started using tomato fertiliser & I use seaweed fertiliser too. When leaves start to die they have brown sections on them,it might not be anything serious?

[veggiechicken]

Hi Catty, Hope I've added the image you meant!!
If its the wrong one, just say and I'll remove it.

[4Shoes]

Have a look here

https://potatoes.ahdb.org.uk/online-...-diseases-tool

thinking some form of early blight or wilt

[baps]

Found a post by Penellype on a different thread with good images of brown leaf spots. Can't see the attachments on that thread though.

Brown leaf spot in potatoes: Plan for this early blight look-alike in 2013 | MSU Extension

Do the leaves look anything like this?

Baps.

[Catty2]

Hi Catty, Hope I've added the image you meant!!
If its the wrong one, just say and I'll remove it.

Hi, thats the one! Thank you!! x

[Penellype]

Your photo is interesting. I often get brown spots on potato plants that have been somewhat stressed and are now dying back. This is a leaf on one of my Lady Christl plants that has been kept under a cloche and is ready to harvest:



The paler centres of the brown spots are thin bits of leaf, not white patches of a potential fungus. The back of the same leaf looks like this:



The whole plant is dying back:



This is not blight and does not appear to be a fungus. The important point is that there is no trace of any white fluffy mould on the underside of the leaves. If you have white fluffy bits on the undersides of the leaves then a fungus is very likely, possibly blight.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Looks a little like magnesium deficiency to me how are you feeding them?