[rw3272]

Its my first year growing potatoes 

What does normal haulm die-back look like compared to blight?

My second earlies (Charottes) are all in, blemish free and delicious!  My maincrops are PFA and desiree.  Some are still lush and green but some have flopped overand are starting to yellow.  There are also some brown patches on the leaves thought they are not "moudly" looking on the underside.  I dug up one of each today and got great yields of big potatoes again blemish free.

Blight map doesn't show any cases nearby (but also not many scouts), but we have had a couple of weeks with smith period after smith period.

Any thoughts?
Rachael

[JohnB47]

Just to give the background to my opinion first - my experience so far is two seasons of growing spuds and four of growing tomatoes. In that time I've seen blight on tomatoes twice and none on spuds.

If the visible evidence of blight on spuds is anything like that on tomatoes (and I believe it to be more or less identical) then, to my mind, if you had blight on your spuds you would know all about it. Unlike dieback - a gradual yellowing and drying off of the leaves and stalks starting about two or three weeks prior to them being ready to lift - blight would show as horrible blackish patches everywhere on the plants, together with wilting and perhaps a rotting moistness. The spuds themselves would be rotten too, I think.

As I say, I've never actually seen it on spuds but I think it would be obvious. Others with more experience will confirm, I hope.

[mumofstig]

It sounds like natural die back to me...........it's the mouldy ring around the patches that are the confirmation of blight I reckon.....which you haven't got, as you say

Keep an eye on them...........if they start ot get mouldy then clear the tops off as quick as you can and get shot of them.

Leave the spuds under the soil for a couple of weeks for the skins to harden and the blight spores on the soil surface to die, before you lift them.
Good luck.........at least you know there is already a harvest there, whatever happens

[rw3272]

I have whipped the tops off the worst looking ones.  I figure if its natural die back then they don't need them... if its blight then they're better off than on!  Have also bought a blight test off the internet so I can decide what to do for definate once I have done that.

Have to say that I am so impressed with the spuds so far 

Thanks for your help guys, you have reassured me a litte.
Rachael

[Salmo]

I would have thought that once the tops start to yellow through natural die back they are not going to contribute to potato yield any more and if in doubt cut the tops off.

The dying back crop will not suffer and if there is some blight on them it will not be there to spread to the healthy charlotte tops.

[rw3272]

Blight test kit confirmed blight so I have whipped all the tops off and will leave it a couple of weeks before digging up the pots.  Next year I am going to be more proactive at spraying!

Rachael