Hi
Need help. I was watering my allotment last night and noticed that two of my potato plants (only about 2 inches high) have got blackened leaves.
I thought it was potato blight but then someone said I might have over watered them!!!!! Not sure I believe that one but the person said that it was to early for blight.
As I have a number of potatoes on the plot I want to catch it now if it is blight.
WHat can I do, I was going to earth them up this weekend. This is my first time with an allotment so I am a bit upset that it is not going according to plan.
DO I dig them up?
Kate
Hiya, kaparobi, sounds like a touch of frost?
bit too early to worry about blight, I think..don't dig 'em up, earth them up and see how it goes, don't know where you are in the country but we've been getting a few frosts here :)
Kate don't worry they got frosted but the leaves will grow back, and there's certainly no need to dig them up! If frost is expected just cover them with some newspaper.
It happened on Saturday night to the handful of earlies I have just showing.
It's way too early to start worrying about blight!
Quote from: kaparobi on April 20, 2010, 07:43:17
Need help. I was watering my allotment last night and noticed that two of my potato plants (only about 2 inches high) have got blackened leaves.
Kate
watering plants (over the leaves) at night / evening will leave the foliage wet, and this will freeze when there is a frost. earth them up (bury the leaves) if frosts are forcast in your area.
(please add your location to your profile info so that folk can know where in the country you are, as different areas have different issues.)
We are still getting frosts at night. Quite a bad one last friday/saturday - ice in one of my buckets. Another vote here for earthing them up, but would suggest not waiting until the weekend. A number of places have cold forecast this week especially Wednesday night. I find that a forecast of 3 degrees can sometimes actually give us a frosty night.
They call it a touch of ground frost on the weather forecast but it is more like a great big boot treading on things.
I am based in Reigate in Surrey. I will Earth them up this afternoon. Just to confirm. I cover the leave completly, right.
THanks for all your help, glad to hear it is not blight and from now on I will try and water in the morning.
Kate
QuoteI am based in Reigate in Surrey.
add that to your profile info. it will then show up for us to see, and you can get more specific info for your area.
kaparobi,
why are you watering potatoes at this time in the season? There is plenty of moisture down below even though the surface may look dry and dusty.
Quote from: BAK on April 20, 2010, 12:23:03
kaparobi,
why are you watering potatoes at this time in the season? There is plenty of moisture down below even though the surface may look dry and dusty.
I think that depends on your soil. I've been watering for the last three weeks, only once a week mind.
Certainly dont water late in the evening if frosts are predicted. Completely covering the leaves with earth will remove the issue alltogether.
You wont get blight until night time temps exceed 10 degrees C for over a fortnight AND we have high humidity, ie raining nearly everyday. Currently we have neither of these :)- but theres plenty of time yet :(.
Frost damage i would say
As the others have said, I looks like frost and will recover, I also think its too early to water, have a dig around the plants with your hands and see if the soils damp, I suspect it will be, the top crust of the soil is deceiving, if you need to don't water directly on to the leaves, oh yes earth them up. ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: BAK on April 20, 2010, 12:23:03
kaparobi,
why are you watering potatoes at this time in the season? There is plenty of moisture down below even though the surface may look dry and dusty.
Consider myself told off. Like I said I am new to all this and therefore did not realise that I was not meant to water everyday.
Anyway I have now earthed them up and will only water once twice a week in the morning.
Thanks for all your responses.
Kate
Kate, water every 2 weeks, a 10 litre can for every square metre. Frequent watering lets the roots stay at the surface instead of growing long and deep to search for water so you end up doing more harm than good. At this time of the year, one really good watering (if you use a hose, time how long it takes to fill a can and work out accordingly - it is usually longer than you think) should keep you going for another month.
When I first started Kate I was like you, over the lottie every evening watering, I used to get a few looks then one day one of the fellas came over and said about over watering and the roots looking for the water, their like children give them sweets every day and they will expect them every day, so water once a week and thats all they will expect. ;D ;D ;D