Topic: Frost damage to potato's

[lezelle]

Good morning all,
                          I went to my plot yesterday and noticed my early potato's have suffered frost damage and the leaves are are burnt. I must of missed the forecast for frost and I'm wondering if the plants will recover. They are on open ground and I see that some have been frosted on pots so I am fingers crossed that mine will recover. Any advice would be most welcome. I am annoyed with my error and missing the forecast. Thanks to all in advance.

[BarriedaleNick]

They normally come back - they might be delayed by a couple of weeks but you should still see a crop..

[lezelle]

Hi BarriedaleNick, Thanks for your reply it has upped my confidence no end. I will keep a close eye on them and the weather. I have never had this happen before and those in a pot in the greenhouse are lovely. Thanks again

[Tee Gee]

I used to earth them up after they appeared above the soil then I earthed them by burying them again. This gave me another 2-3 weeks for them to appear again when hopefully all the late frosts were over. I sometimes think this method gave me an extra truss of potatoes with the earthing up.

[Paulh]

I'd add that while generally the affected shoots grow on and new shoots will still emerge, occasionally I've had plants where the shoot has gone mushy and the rot moved down into the tuber, so end of plant. If the damage is more than a "burning" of the leaves, keep an eye on them and perhaps cut off the stems at a sound spot.

[George the Pigman]

They should survive.
Not a problem for me as I haven't been able to plant any yet. Neither have most of my allotment colleagues. The weather here in Birmingham has been so wet for several months we have been unable to work the soil or plant until now.

[saddad]

Same here, only got the last planted this week....... too wet and cold until quite recently