[lightyears]

some of my fellow allotmenteers potatoes got nipped back by the frost the other night, mine included, already mine have some new growth as i pulled off the dead bits. Now an old guy is doing the round telling people that once the frost has had the leaves its game over and the plant is had it? im not sure whether there was any truth in this so i am hear asking.

[Paul Plots]

My dear old mum (who knows a thing or two at the age of 90) informs me that once a potato has been badly hit by frost it turns them "sweet"... (not into sweet potatoes, you understand  )

I do know what she means... the potato develops a "sweet" and not enitirely pleasant flavour...

As to whether or not it should be dug up and disposed of is another matter... it might be that just some of the developing tubers are harmed...

Let's wait and see what others have to say about it. 

[mumofstig]

My dear old mum (who knows a thing or two at the age of 90) informs me that once a potato has been badly hit by frost it turns them "sweet"... (not into sweet potatoes, you understand  )

But that's the harvested potatoes, surely, not the newly growing plants

[goodegg]

if the frost has got them a little leave them in all that will happen is when its time to dig you will not get such a good cr op as you would have had . now if they have been really frosted down to the soil still leave them in because they will grow again .best of luck .

[Paul Plots]

if the frost has got them a little leave them in all that will happen is when its time to dig you will not get such a good cr op as you would have had . now if they have been really frosted down to the soil still leave them in because they will grow again .best of luck .

NOw there's someone who should know their spuds.... Jersey Royals 

[Paul Plots]

My dear old mum (who knows a thing or two at the age of 90) informs me that once a potato has been badly hit by frost it turns them "sweet"... (not into sweet potatoes, you understand  )

But that's the harvested potatoes, surely, not the newly growing plants

Nope... according to my mother (who has been known not to get it spot on  ) if the frost catches the plant then the tubers can be sweet... Brought up in Somerset she were in a village where they grew tatters... Mind your she was born in London's east end - Stepney so maybe it's a wives tale..

[Salmo]

If the tops get frosted off at this stage when they are just peeping above the soil they will come to no harm and the plants will grow away again.

In the middle of May, when tops may be a foot high, frost can do more harm. If it just touches the tips it will not really harm them. If the frost is sharp enough to cut them to the ground at that stage it may severly affect the yield. Even those plants will grow back but they will not yield as well. I would still leave them to grow.

I have never heard of the sweet thing?

[lightyears]

i just need to clarify, they are just peeping through, not even out the ground and got nipped back slightly, the bloke in question is known for his scaremongering anyway

[blackbob]

some of my fellow allotmenteers potatoes got nipped back by the frost the other night, mine included, already mine have some new growth as i pulled off the dead bits. Now an old guy is doing the round telling people that once the frost has had the leaves its game over and the plant is had it? im not sure whether there was any truth in this so i am hear asking.

one of them tales me thinks lol.

[DavidT]

Don`t worry about it, but earth the spuds up, they won`t get frosted then.

[digalotty]

im with dave on this 

[pink aubergine]

Me too!  We've got a few old timers on our lottie, one who plants up half a full plot with spuds, really loves them! He says it wont harm them if they get a bit frosted , there is always other shoots coming out the tuber. Last frost noted in our area was second week in June ( jsut north of London).

I would earth up and carry on. never heard of anyone losing their Pots.

[Paul Plots]

When / if you run out of earth to earth-em-up-with a cover of grass mowings really does work well - done it & it worked two years running  .... it's quick too! 

[Trikidiki]

I'm putting the grass clippings and lawn rakings on first, on the basis it will add some more humus to the soil which is very sandy. Later I'll earth up with the soil.

[HugglescoteGrower]

when should I start earthing up, the tips of my first earlies are just showing above ground level. Should I cover them straight away, or do the tips need to be exposed, as I guess these first three or four leaves are generating much needed food for the plant.