Blight on my potatoes!

[prison break fan]

I have just discovered that my potatoes have blight. It has only just happened and someone down the allotment told me that if I cut of the tops the potatoes will be okay. Does anyone know if this is right. I would be very grateful for any advice, as I have half of my plot down to potatoes, so a lot is at stake!! Thanks in advance! pbf.

[grahamhobbs]

Cut them quickly

[MKG]

Cut them without waving them around too much and them BURN them - you're trying to destroy the spores.

Mike

[prison break fan]

Thanks chaps, I knew I could rely on you!! Off down there now! pbf.

[bonniethomas06]

If it's any consolation pbf, I have it too, have cut and destroyed the leaves and the pots seem OK - I think it is a bit inevitable but at least they had a chance to bulk up before it hit, what with the warm start to the year.

Good luck.

[prison break fan]

Thanks bonnie, I was a bit disappointed as it is still early in the year for main crop potatoes, but hey ho thats the way it goes! pbf.

[Zech]

I've had it too. I dug up half of them (DON'T DO THAT!) before I was told that this isn't a good idea because the spores jump from the leaves to the tubers. The ones I've dug up (and it wasn't too bad a crop) are OK, but on close examination, many of them have brown marks on the surface, which I think will develop into rot if left, so as far as I understand it, they're fine to eat now (cutting off the brown bits) but not good for storing. I'm going to make lots of chips for the freezer.

I've cut the tops off the rest of them and left the tubers in the ground for a bit. I haven't burnt the tops because it's too wet, so I've moved them some distance away and the other side of a hedge, and hope I get away with it.

Does anybody know whether comfrey can catch potato blight? I have a plant that was right in the middle of the potato patch, and some of its leaves look very similar to the blighted leaves of the potatoes. If it has got it, what should I do? Can I still use it to make tomato food? Should I cut it all back? Will it recover next year? Am I just being silly?

[minesamojito]

I wouldn't use it, the spores will be on it, and you'd be transferring them to the tomatos too i think
hope it goes ok
cheers
marcus

[PossibleBoris]

Help please!

I've been growing spuds for the first time this year. First earlies were fantastic, and seconds are due to be lifted this weekend. However, the main crops look like they have blight - but I'm unsure...?? The leaves appear to be dying, with yellow-ish patches, and the stems/plants are broken and rotting. I'm not 100% sure it is blight as the earlies were grown in the same way in very close proximity but are unaffected.

[darkbrowneggs]

Blight comes in when weather conditions are right, so very often the earlies get away with it. Mine have cropped very well this year, so I shall have plenty. I cut off the tops yesterday, although the blight was minimal. I am trying bagging them in cheap dustbin liners, and leaving them to dry out before burning, as every year they turn into a mouldering mass of unburnable mess.

The counsel of perfection is to cover the rows, so if it rains it doesn't carry the blight spores down into the ground to infect the tubers, but if not leave them at least 2 weeks before harvesting to prevent infection by ground level spore drop on digging

It was interesting to see how different varieties performed this year. I have 2 lots still growing Harlequin and and new one who's name eludes me at present

All the best
Sue

Ps - yes the blight spores are a disaster on tomato plants, I gave up trying to grow those outdoors many years ago