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Are these potatoes for the bin?

BouncingBackBouncingBack Posts: 142
in Fruit & veg
Never grown potatoes before and from what I can find on google, my plants have a bacterial infection and are no good. This happened within the space of a few days - are they a lost cause?


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  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    Could be blight. I would cut off all the affected leaves and stems and spray the rest with a fungicide. Bin them, don't put on the compost heap. Probably impossible to cure it but might be able to hold it at bay and get some potatoes. What sort of potatoes are they? Do the bags have drainage holes? Just as well they are in bags as in the ground you wouldn't be able to grow potatoes again for a while.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    The potatoes in the soil will be usable as long as the blight has not yet reached them. I would empty out the containers and see what there is of use.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I think that looks more like Septoria Leaf Spot … another fungal disease of potatoes and tomatoes etc.

    More info here https://www.gardenia.net/guide/septoria-leaf-spot

    Not as destructive as Late Blight but still a nuisance. I would use the potatoes and dispose of the foliage. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ShepsSheps Posts: 2,236
    Those look identical to mine, same spots and decaying foliage underneath that doesn't get much light.

    I think I'll empty one of the containers and see what the spuds look like.
  • BouncingBackBouncingBack Posts: 142
    Thanks everyone, I've not had time to do anything with them yet but will have a look today. They were only planted ten weeks ago and are the Anya variety - is it likely any will be ready?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2023
    Have a gentle furtle around in the soil with your hand … if there are any the size of a hen’s egg then I’d use them … if they’re too small and the foliage isn’t looking any worse then I’d leave them for another few weeks … they ought to have some worth harvesting after about 15 weeks.   But if the foliage turns black and crashes then take what potatoes you can find. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BouncingBackBouncingBack Posts: 142
    The foliage has unfortunately gone from healthy green to the above photos very quickly. I'll have a rummage later though!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Is it any worse now than in the photo?  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BouncingBackBouncingBack Posts: 142
    edited June 2023
    Dovefromabove said:
    Is it any worse now than in the photo?  
    Yes I would say so. I've just had a feel almost fully down to the bottom of each bag and didn't find a single potato, just long shoots... 😬
  • BouncingBackBouncingBack Posts: 142
    I've just dug the bags out properly and found quite a decent harvest. Given they're Anya potatoes, only a few are full size as they've only been growing ten weeks - can we eat the tiny ones? Are they ok to eat even though the plants were grotty? I have children so don't want to take any risks. They have tiny white dots on, but I assume this is from the compost - or is it a sign they're inedible? What do I do with them now they're out the soil? I've put them in the shade to dry, do I wash them or store them with soil remnants still on, and do I store them in the dark? Apologies for all the questions, way out of my depth here!




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