Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Potato leaves

Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436
in Fruit & veg

Could someone give me some advice, I started a allotment this year and planted some potatoes, I have never grown them before so was wondering why the leaves have gone like this, I have attached a photo so you can see. The person on the plot next to me had the same on his leaves.

If anyone could give me some advice that would be great, thank you. 

 

image

 

«1

Posts

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Blight. Your best bet is to cut off the stems just above soil level to stop the blight going into the potatoes. Burn the stems and leaves. Certainly do not put them in the compost.
  • Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436

    Thank you Welshonion,  will the potatoes still grow as there are no good leaves left or do I have to dig the potatoes up? 

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Once you have cut off the stems and leaves (haulm) you can leave the potatoes in the soil. Not for too long though. Make sure the potatoes are well covered with soil so they don't go green.



    So long as the blight hasn't travelled down the stems the potatoes will be fine, but they won't get much bigger.
  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    All good advise from above and just to add, blight can be a problem for many growers, by planting 1st and 2nd earlies along with main crop spuds you increase your chances of producing a good crop of spuds. The latter keep longer altough I've had 1st and 2nd earlies which are good into December if stored in the dark after being dug up.

    I'm happy to be wrong but I'm given to understand high humidity levels  over a three day period are the times when you crop is most at risk. 1st and 2nd earlies mature sooner than main crop and although these can still be caught by blight the spuds underground have grown sufficently to produce a reaonable crop.    

    Hope this is helpful when growing spuds next yrimage

  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,846

    Lorna is there any reason that those leaves seem to be growing through a wooden cover of some kind as one of the best defences against blight is to allow airflow around the plants.

  • Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436

    Thank you Welshonion, Sorry for all the questions but could you tell me how long is to long, with not growing them before I'm not sure how long is to long.

    Zoomer44, thank you for the information, I am grateful for any advice as I am new to growing them.

    barry island, I took the leaves off and put it on the wooden table to take the picture.

  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,846

    I think that they should be left for 10 days but dig them up when the soil is dry so look out for the weather forecast.

  • Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436

    Thank you barry island, Will definitely have to look out for the weather forecast then, I'm in southern Ireland and now it's getting that time that everyday we have a few showers of rain. Thanks again Barry.image 

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Choose a dry day when you dig them, and lay the potatoes on the surface of the soil to 'set' the skin, before you put them in a suitable sack. Paper, hessian or woven polypropylene, perhaps. Whatever you use keep the potatoes cool and in the dark.
  • Lorna95Lorna95 Posts: 436

    Thank you Welshonion, I will do that and hopefully have better luck next year.image

Sign In or Register to comment.