[Lulu]

My early potatoes are not growing properly - some have gone yellow, and some of them seem to have stopped growing and remain small and flowerless.  I've planted Lady Christl and Charlottes  in the same bed, which is next to my raspberries.  The only thing I can think of is they are in the bed I had tomatoes last year which did succumb  to blight last year but it doesn't look like blight.  Most of them look perfect - just small and no flowers and yet some of them look normal in size, still no flowers.  I have fed them in the last month with chicken poo as I normally do.  My question is any suggestions with what to do with them??  Do I dig up the yellow ones and leave the normal looking ones??  I won't be able to get a photo - gotta to go to work.  Its a shame cos my main crop are romping away.

Any advice appreciated

[Paul Plots]

Is it possible that the earlies needed more water? I'm not so sure about this... if the main crop are OK.    :blink:

[Grubbypaws]

I would dig up one of the yellow ones and see what is going on. I had a similar problem with a couple of my Lady C's and it turned out to be blackleg. I destroyed them and the rest of the crop are doing well.

[mumofstig]

when did you plant them?
It may just be that they have finished growing and are ready to dig. The plants at the end of the row of earlies that I'm still digging, are doing the same thing.
They won't all flower either, if this is what you have been waiting for

[Nobbie]

I'd guess that it's lack of water as they're next to the raspberries which will suck a lot of water out of the ground. Were the mains planted away from the raspberries?

[JohnB47]

I have the same thing - planted pentland javelin, charlotte and kestrel all at the same time. The PJ are hardly a foot tall and a couple of them are yellowing, next biggest is charlotte and then kestrel, which are fairly normal size.

I think the long dry spell is to blame for the odd variance in size. Won't know the results until I dig 'em, which will start soon I guess.

The thing is, PJ are supposed to be a first early (and a particularly early one at that) but the stuff showing above ground seems so insignificant. Are they supposed to be compact plants (I haven't grown them before)?

[mumofstig]

I have the same thing - planted pentland javelin, charlotte and kestrel all at the same time. The PJ are hardly a foot tall and a couple of them are yellowing, next biggest is charlotte and then kestrel, which are fairly normal size.

I think the long dry spell is to blame for the odd variance in size. Won't know the results until I dig 'em, which will start soon I guess.

The thing is, PJ are supposed to be a first early (and a particularly early one at that) but the stuff showing above ground seems so insignificant. Are they supposed to be compact plants (I haven't grown them before)?

PJs never get very big and this year are smaller than last, with a lower yield to match

[JohnB47]

OK Thanks.

I plan to lift one tomorrow. I'll let you know how I get on.

[Paul Plots]

OK Thanks.

I plan to lift one tomorrow. I'll let you know how I get on.

Be an optimist... buy some butter before you go to the lot! 

[Vit]

Be an optimist... buy some butter before you go to the lot! 

Choice!

Ummm i wouldn't plant potatoes on the same place after tomatoes. How about soil on the spot? Sandy enough? Drainage? Also yellow might mean they are short on some minerals

[sunshineband]

My swift are all very very short and very very yellow --- kestrels next to them are romping away 

I am going to get some of the swifts out to look at them. i am hoping appearances are deceptive and there is abumper crop down there 

[Lulu]

Hi - I feel I must apologise for the lack of response - been at work!  I planted my lady Christl in March and the Charlottes a couple of weeks later.  They suffered one bout of frost only and appeared to recover well.  My soil is clay.  I do think the yellow ones are in the Tomato bed of last year - so I need to learn from that!!!.  Tomatoes are not being planted on the plot again - they were too much work and the blight was horrible. I'm going to pop onto the lottie tomorrow and dig up the yellow ones - might just have a little furtle with a healthy one just to see what is going on with them. 
In response to Nobbie - my raspberries are nearer to the earlies than the main crop by  a foot.

Any way thanks for your responses.

[Vit]

Lulu, is there any chance to add some sand to your soil? You will be surprized, how better will be your crops.

[JohnB47]

Just dug up one of my Pentland Javelin - one that was going yellow. Pretty small crop - small spuds and just enough for two people, but in good condition.

Not too worried 'cos I have more and different varieties too but the dry spell was to blame I think.

[JayG]

Much as I'm not willing anyone else to join the club I'm always surprised that I seem to be the only member on here who regularly mentions potato eelworm (aka potato cyst nematode.)

Poor foliage growth which yellows and dies off early, and a poor crop of small potatoes are one clue, but the decider is the tiny white or yellow round cysts dotted all over the fibrous roots (not usually the spuds themselves but sometimes there as well.)

That's why I grew an eelworm-resistant variety this year (Pentland Javelin) which although producing a decent crop have clearly struggled to shake off the attack of this particular nasty.