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Potato Vine looking poorly

Martin GardenerMartin Gardener Posts: 70
in Problem solving
Hi. I am wondering if I should be concerned about my potato vine climber. It has gotten very dull and withered looking over the last month. See photos attached. 

I planted the potato vine last year around May time from small plants. It grew very well and was very dense on top of the pergola with lots of flowers.

But over the last month or so it has got less sense and has looked a bit duller in colour. As this is my first year with these plants I don't know if this is normal.




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Posts

  • Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
    Yours looks better than mine. Mine is completely leafless and pretty much dried stems. I'm giving it til the end of the month to show some signs of new life or it will have to go. 
  • Martin GardenerMartin Gardener Posts: 70
    Here is a photo of the potato vine from last year

  • Martin GardenerMartin Gardener Posts: 70
    I have put nitrogen feed on them and also seaweed fertilizer. The pots aren't dry. 
  • Martin GardenerMartin Gardener Posts: 70
    Robert West said:
    Yours looks better than mine. Mine is completely leafless and pretty much dried stems. I'm giving it til the end of the month to show some signs of new life or it will have to go. 
    Is this not unusual? They are perennial and winter hardy?
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043





    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    You need to crop your photos slightly as there is a glitch on this site.

    Potato vines can be damaged by cold winters, especially if not in a very sheltered position. Mine is OK but it is in a very sheltered spot against a fence.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Martin GardenerMartin Gardener Posts: 70
    Busy-Lizzie said:
    You need to crop your photos slightly as there is a glitch on this site.

    Potato vines can be damaged by cold winters, especially if not in a very sheltered position. Mine is OK but it is in a very sheltered spot against a fence.
    Thanks. I wasn't sure how to make the photos appear the right way up. 

    Do you think that could be the problem with mine, winter damage?

    What's the best thing for me to do now? Wait to see if they recover?  How long would you wait, end of May? 

    I added nitrogen feed, seaweed fertilizer. Then a while later added slow release fertilizer granules, top dressed with john innes compost and covered in bark mulch. Anything more I can do? 
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I would just wait for warmer weather.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    Mine always looks a bit shabby at this time of year before the new growth starts. They are only semi evergreen.
    I think the name 'vine' is a misnomer, as mine is grown as a free standing shrub about 4 x 4 metres with a thick trunk.
    You will be fighting a continual battle to keep yours neat on top of the shed. Growing them in those small pots might restrict their growth though.
    Sunny Dundee
  • msqingxiaomsqingxiao Posts: 482
    Mine dropped all leaves over the winter. I thought it was dead but when I scratched the base of the main stem it was still green inside. So I pruned it down, and now waiting patiently to see if it will produce new growth or not...
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