[willnbirdie]

Hi

Here in Sunderland - lots of us have Blight on our plots.  Our earlies got it Pentland Javelin - really disappointed - have dug them all up - not all plants and not all spuds affected but we are storing them in trays at the moment to see if that changes - easier to inspect them there than in bags.

None of the second earlies seem to be affected - Wilja - we have lifted all of them just in case.  Now we are worried about the rather large number of maincrop plants we have Romano - will probably dig them very soon to find out if we have any problems - plants don't seem to be showing any signs yet.

Weird I expected that when one plant got blight all of them did and that the majority of potatoes would be useless - not the case at the mo keeping fingers crossed it stays that way.

Cheers

willnbirdie

[Salmo]

Some varieties are more prone to blight.

If there are no blight lesions on the leaves leave them to grow.

If there is blight on the leaves then cut the tops off at ground level. Do not lift for 10 days or so or else you may spread spores from the soil surface to the tubers. If you leave the tops on too long the blight will go down the stems and infect the tubers.

[Paul Plots]

Some varieties are more prone to blight.

If there are no blight lesions on the leaves leave them to grow.

If there is blight on the leaves then cut the tops off at ground level. Do not lift for 10 days or so or else you may spread spores from the soil surface to the tubers. If you leave the tops on too long the blight will go down the stems and infect the tubers.

Sorry to hear you have blight your way - my 24 tomato plants went the same way recently.

Salmo's advice is spot on for your spuds - tops off if there's signs of blight - leave for 10 to 14 days so skins harden then harvest.

Ideally the helm (?)... leaves and stalks should be burnt or bagged and disposed of.

Best of luck for some healthy spuds to store. 

[DD.]

It's haulm!

I'd recommend people consider the "Sarpo" varieties of spuds another year if we are going to keep getting this weather & associated problem.

Not the greatest of tasters, but great croppers and the highest blight resistance known. They're practically bullet proof as well, let alone slug proof.

[loubylou29]

Great advise from the guys here, last year my pots got blight and I followed advise here to cut the tops off and leave alone, actually I left some i nthe ground for quite a few weeks and they were quite happy there with no damage.
They stored well untill Christmas when we ran out!

I hope that this year we manage the same level of damage limitiaion. We have blight spots on some plants and all seem to have good sized tubers underneath (the pink fir apples could do with a big more growing I think) and I have already cut the leaves off and disposed off them, I just have a left small haulm sticking up and earthed up around it so I can see where to dig.
The other thing to remember is to be vigilant to remove all the leaves that are about, pick up every one.
Thanks for the advise DD will try that variety next year I think.

[Paul Plots]

It's haulm!

So it is..  Thanks - I can never remember  :blink: