potato blight

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by garden_fiend, Aug 6, 2010.

  1. garden_fiend

    garden_fiend Gardener

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    I have potato blight on my spuds (Edzell Blue and sarpo mira). Should I cut down the foliage and leave the potatoes in the ground or should I dig the whole lot up?????


    Many thanks. GF
     
  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Are you sure it's blight GF, we have had lots of false alarms - have you a photo?

    If you are certain it's blight then the general advice for potatoes is to immediately and carefully cut down the halms (the foliage) and dispose of them - don't put them on you compost heap.

    Leave it two weeks before digging up the tubers to avoid any blight spores on the soil surface.
     
  3. garden_fiend

    garden_fiend Gardener

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    Can't seem to access my photobucket a/c. Is it because I'm now using a Mac???

    The lower leaves are turning yellow and are covered in brown spots that are clear on the back of the leaves also, some of the leaves are curling at the ends and turning brown.
    Does it sound like blight???

    Many thanks. GF
     
  4. Freddy

    Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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    Hi gf. Sounds more like the effects of a very dry season to me, nothing untoward.

    Cheers...freddy.
     
  5. garden_fiend

    garden_fiend Gardener

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    Phew! I was thinking that Sarpo Mira should be blight resistant to some degree, so that's good to hear.

    Many thanks.GF.
     
  6. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    Sounds more like natural die back prior to maturing to me.:thumb:
     
  7. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    You'd know it if it was blight, halms would all drop & be slimey. Mine are starting to die back naturally now, leaving them 2 weeks after that before lifting so they store well.
     
  8. thelittlegardeners

    thelittlegardeners Apprentice Gardener

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    I'm really worried that my potatoes have blight. The leaves were turning brown at the end and starting to curl. We trimmed them right back about a week ago and took all the leaves off that had any brown on. The plants themselves actually looks pretty healthy (albeit a little sparse now)

    But Ziggy, none of the stalks were slimey? Not sure what to do, whether to leave them or dig them up....
     
  9. andrewh

    andrewh Gardener

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  10. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    A picture would help us id it.
     
  11. thelittlegardeners

    thelittlegardeners Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi, these are a few shots I took whilst pruning. Reading all these posts I think I might have just been a little over cautious....

    Phew!
     
  12. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    It's not blight thelittlegardeners, at this time in the season the leaves start to look the worse for wear anyway, the cold nights and damper conditions in september don't help. Some of my plants have completely finished - no more toms on them to ripen - so I've pulled them up otherwise they get all sorts of mildew type problems.
     
  13. andrewh

    andrewh Gardener

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    There's blight warnings a-plenty flooding into my inbox at the moment.

    If you haven't got it yet, and still have toms and spuds on the go, I'd highly recommend spraying with Bordeaux mix ASAP!
     
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