[shokkyy]

My second earlies seemed to die back prematurely this year. I had a healthy crop from them, but the spuds weren't as big as they should have been given the length of time they'd been in. And the foliage did seem to kind of disappear very suddenly. It definitely wasn't blight, but I have a suspicion it might have been insect attack because when I looked at them it looked like the foliage had been eaten rather than dying back naturally. And exactly the same thing happened to my second earlies last year (different varieties but planted in the same half-bin containers). What could cause this?

[topgazza]

I had a infestation of earwigs which seemed to love the leaves. cunning little beggars hid elsewhere in all sorts of odd places before coming out at night to feast. I caught them early mind and used ant powder around the outside of my potato bags so they had to cross it to get in.

[shokkyy]

Haven't seen any earwigs around at all, so I don't think it's that.

[topgazza]

 

Nor did I....the crafty so and so's only come out when it dark. the hide during the day. Wait until around 11.00pm and go out with a torch. You won't see thousands of them but be patient and you will see them...if thats your problem of course.

I had a Budleiha last year that was being utterly devastated by earwigs...never saw a one until one night i went out and the plant was crawling with them...horrible. generally in my experience there are usually just a  few dozen or less.  But they do like potato leaves apparently......