potato haulm collapse

[Jmtrevett]

Hi all,

I went out to look at the veg patch today and about 4 potatoes have some of their haulms lying on the ground, still attached, not nibbled just bending over so that they touch the ground.

The stems and leaves are all fine with no signs of damage or disease so what could have caused this?

It was pretty breezy here yesterday so could the wind have just unsettled a couple of them and if so should i earth them up more?

Thanks!
Jess

[Novice Gardener]

Are they in flower? I can't offer any constructive advice, but I think that if they're already flowering you may be ok just leaving them. Mine are mid bid bloom and look like they could keel over any day now. Not got any more room to earth em up as they're in raised beds, so just waiting to see what happens.

[Nicos]

Where abouts are you?? ( perhaps you could add your approx location to your profile??)
It doesn't sound like blight as the first signs tend to be brown/black specls on the older leaves...have you had a shortage of rain??? perhaps they need a good drenching with a hose/wateringcan????
Earthing up is a good idea too!

Oh ...and welcome to the Vine!!!

[Snadger]

It sounds to me like they are suffering from the same thing I do after eating beans!

[snuffer]

Hello there, Jmtrevett. I don't think you need to worry too much about your spuds. Yesterday it was quite breezy here in Notts. and the foliage on most of my early potatoes was flat on the floor when I checked them. Fortunately non were broken so I just tidied them up a bit (made sure they were all lying in line with the rows. No real reason why, just looks nicer) gave them a drink and left them to it. Today they look fine and I am looking forward to a decent crop.

[Cloud]

Its more than likely the wind.I am growing some in upright growbags and these have done exactly the same thing whereas the ones in the garden are fine.

[Jmtrevett]

Thanks guys!

We are quite high up here (about 85m above sea level) and the wind does gust a bit sometimes so it doesn't surprise me that they fell over. I'll earth them up some more.

They are not flowering yet, but some of my earlies are developing flowers (i put them in slightly late due to my novice brain forgetting when they should go in!)

I can't wait...i'm dying to go dig them up (those and all my other bits in the veg plot!)

thanks again!

Jess

[Alice]

It's the wind JMTrevett. I've seen whole fields of them on their faces and they do fine.

[marigold007]

Mine got to about four foot high and did the same thing. Then they stood back up again, albeit slightly crooked.

[mykonian]

Mine have also collapsed somewhat in the wind this week having reached about 4 ft tall. They were threatening to cover my carrots in the next row so have to do something about it. I bought some cheap rubble sacks, cut the bottom off and slipped a sack over each plant, tucked the bottom of the sack into the soil and then part filled with mixture of home made and multi-purpose compost (had already earthed up the whole rows earlier in year and not much spare soil in the plot to do it again). It's given some support to the plants so will see how we go. Will report back in due course. Fingers crossed...

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine and thanks for the post Mykonian. Do let us know the outcome.

[Norm]

We are quite high up here (about 85m above sea level)

Quite high up at 85m - try 200m. Lowlander There's wind farms up here they have to stop or they'll take off!

Seriously though folks, as long as the stems are still attached, they'll be fine.