Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Potato help!

Collapse

X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Potato help!

    Can anyone tell me why half my potato plants have fallen over? They were all doing fine, some had started to flower then the other morning I noticed a big circle in the middle that had collapsed. Many of them seemed to have been rather attacked by slugs too. The others are still upright and look ok but the flowering has stopped. Any help greatly appreciated as I have a raised bed devoted to pots and it's my first year growing them.


    Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum
    Sanity is for those with no grasp of reality

  • #2
    Yep, mine are collapsing now also, when my Earlies collapsed, gave them lots of water and overnight, they stood up again, so maybe try giving them a real good soaking. We've had no rain for weeks now, so I'll have to go and water mine later.
    DottyR

    Comment


    • #3
      What type of potato (early, main, etc.)? How long have they been in? Could be ready, could be short of water, could be pest or disease.......

      Comment


      • #4
        Sounds like they could be almost ready to lift Rob. Have you got a piccy?
        sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
        --------------------------------------------------------------------
        Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
        Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
        -----------------------------------------------------------
        KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

        Comment


        • #5
          Potatoes have very soft growth and the foliage weight often causes them to collapse, I end up putting canes round mine. But as has been said they collapse anyway if they are ready to lift. In that case they tend to go yellow then fall over.
          photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

          Comment


          • #6
            They're second earlies and the foliage isn't yellow yet....they've been in about two months I think, can't remember so have just learnt the need for a diary. Two weeks ago I dug one up and there were very few potatoes and they were very small... Although it's raining I'll give them another water today and put a pic up.


            Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum
            Sanity is for those with no grasp of reality

            Comment


            • #7
              You sure the leaves and stems are OK???

              Sometimes foliage collapse in the centre of the group of plants can be the first obvious sight of blight.
              Hopefully it's not..if it is, then get them dug up asap before it travels down to the tubers.

              It probably isn't that, but always worth holding that thought at the back of your mind.
              "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

              Location....Normandy France

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by robmarston View Post
                Can anyone tell me why half my potato plants have fallen over? They were all doing fine, some had started to flower then the other morning I noticed a big circle in the middle that had collapsed. Many of them seemed to have been rather attacked by slugs too. The others are still upright and look ok but the flowering has stopped. Any help greatly appreciated as I have a raised bed devoted to pots and it's my first year growing them.


                Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum
                I too have the same problem - Desirée - two rows and one plant at the end of the row started to wilt a little and then this morning it was on the ground. Plants not flowered yet but I dug up the dead one (and the one next to it which seemed to be going the same way). Anyone have any idea what the problem is and will I lose the entire crop? See photo below.
                Attached Files
                Last edited by krazykernow; 28-06-2014, 11:15 AM.
                Why don't sheep shrink in the rain?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by krazykernow View Post
                  I too have the same problem - Desirée - two rows and one plant at the end of the row started to wilt a little and then this morning it was on the ground. Plants not flowered yet but I dug up the dead one (and the one next to it which seemed to be going the same way). Anyone have any idea what the problem is and will I lose the entire crop? See photo below (I hope)
                  [ATTACH=CONFIG]46898[/ATTACH]
                  This doesn't look good at all. The base of the stem looks rotten and the dark areas look infected, probably by a fungal disease. You don't show the leaves, so its hard to tell if this is blight, but if the leaves are still green then it could be verticillium wilt, which affects all sorts of plants including potatoes. I'm afraid its not good news

                  Verticillium wilt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
                  A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP. - Leonard Nimoy

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Could be blackleg ?

                    http://rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=223
                    Last edited by Martin H; 28-06-2014, 11:14 AM. Reason: added link
                    My gardening blog: In Spades, last update 30th April 2018.
                    Chrysanthemum notes page here.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      This is what mine look like. Please tell me it just means they're ready 😊

                      And this is what they look like from the front.



                      Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum
                      Attached Files
                      Sanity is for those with no grasp of reality

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        They look fine to me, Robmarston. The foliage that hasn't been eaten is still very green so they may need a bit longer yet to get to maturity. The hedge behind will tend to make them a bit floppy, because of shade and competition.

                        I'm much more worried about Krazykernow's ones.
                        My gardening blog: In Spades, last update 30th April 2018.
                        Chrysanthemum notes page here.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I agree they look pretty good to me, but with this rain (if your having any) I would keep an eagle eye out for blight. Otherwise let them go on growing.
                          photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Tie some string round them Rob just to give them some support. Sommats been having a good munch on them.
                            sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
                            --------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
                            -------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
                            -----------------------------------------------------------
                            KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              #8 That looks like 'blackleg' to me. If it is lift and burn the affected plants ASAP
                              Last edited by Potstubsdustbins; 28-06-2014, 03:58 PM.
                              Potty by name Potty by nature.

                              By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


                              We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

                              Aesop 620BC-560BC

                              sigpic

                              Comment

                              Latest Topics

                              Collapse

                              Recent Blog Posts

                              Collapse
                              Working...
                              X