Arrived to water the lottie tonight only to discover one of my potato plants has suddenly given up and died - overnight, mid-flower!
The plant looks like it hasn't seen water for a couple of weeks, is the best way I can think of to describe it. It is still upright(ish) but the leaves are suddenly grey rather than lush green. It just looks shrivelled. I watered them well yesterday and all other plants seem fine so far. This one is in the second row and I can see no apparent reason for it. Could it be wilt of some description? Any ideas and advice most welcome
thanks
check the very bottom of the stem on the potatoe (where it enters the ground) it should just pull straight out with little resistance if it is a light brown or going black and looks a little wet it may well be blackleg, I am 99% sure it may be this if so you may find one or 2 like this each day
One of my Sharpe's Express collapsed in a heap over the last couple of days - all the rest in the row were fine. OH dug it up last night and found a red ant's nest at it's base. And we were blaming the mole.
In't wildlife great ???
Quote from: Allotment-junkie on June 29, 2010, 08:39:19
check the very bottom of the stem on the potatoe (where it enters the ground) it should just pull straight out with little resistance if it is a light brown or going black and looks a little wet it may well be blackleg, I am 99% sure it may be this if so you may find one or 2 like this each day
Oh Lord! I've just googled blackleg and at first appearances it would seem that you may be right! I will check the stem tonight to make sure and then up it comes. Really annoyed as I bought these from a reputable Scottish seed potato firm. Although I understand that the heat and humidity recently won't have helped matters.
thanks very much for the 'heads up'
I have had blackleg on some of my sharpes express from a reputable company too.
Just one of thsoe things rally as the company cant tell that the seed potatoes have got blackleg before sending them out.
I did get a few small spuds though off the ones I had to dig up.
your welcome Skyblu the good thing is that it wont be all your potatoes if it is blackleg as unlike Blight etc it does not spread to the next plant