[BarefootDancer]

Hi everyone,

I went to check on my patch yesterday (after a slightly extended absence due to a family bereavement) and found that one of my desiree potato plants was looking decidedly sick.

Very yellow, spindly and with curled upper leaves.  Did some reading/ Googling and suspect it's blackleg.  Didn't check the stems at the time as very uneducated in pest/diseases! 

Does blackleg sound likely/the most probable cause? I'm definitely going to dig up the affected plant anyway, but am now worried about the others.  There are a couple more with some slightly yellowing lower leaves - should these come up too? 

They don't look too bad..... I would have assumed they were just a little parched in the hot weather, if I hadn't seen the one plant that looks really sick! Especially as they are furthest away from the wilted plant.  But will certainly dig them up if that's the best course of action - don't want to lose the whole lot if I can help it!

Thanks,
Barefoot

[mumofstig]

I would just dig up the sick one and see exactly what is going on with that, before I thought about the others. Yellowing bottom leaves is common at this time of year in my experience.

Blackleg seems to be a common problem this year though

[BarefootDancer]

I would just dig up the sick one and see exactly what is going on with that, before I thought about the others. Yellowing bottom leaves is common at this time of year in my experience.

Blackleg seems to be a common problem this year though

Thanks for the advice, will dig up the sickly one and see what I find.......   Might try and take a few pics too, just in case my diagnosis is inconclusive!

Barefoot

[BarefootDancer]

Panic over!!  I dug up the sickly looking plant, only to find that the roots and stem were fine (no mush or black rot in sight) and there were 7 lovely potatoes lurking underneath   

Pete from "The Big Plot" next door reckons that this particular plant just matured and died back much earlier than the others, hence looking a bit sick in comparison.

Think I've become an allotment hypercondriac.....    Most unlike me - will ovbiously have to a) chill out a bit and b) increase my veggie knowledge via the articles and posts from all you lovely people on here 

Thanks again,
Barefoot xx

[mumofstig]

I'm glad it was good news