Potato advice please....

[stressedoutmum2]

Hi I'm currently growing Majestic potatos which I know are a maincrop and therefore shouldn't be ready to harvest for another couple of months. I have 4 rows, fairly well spaced out (as well as last years miscellaneous potatos which thrived in a different part of the plot) but this year I decided to trying inter-cropping and have lettuce between the rows.

The potato plants in the middle two rows appear to have stopped growing and the leaves are turning yellowy with brown marks - have I cut my nose off to spite my face and squashed everything too close do you think so they are fighting for the right nutrients? Or could it be not enough water / too much???

[bluemoon]

I usually grow 'Majestic', have done for years as they are so tasty, but I have noticed this last couple of years that the foliage has begun to turn brown very early. (mid-July from a mid-April planting) and the crops have been small - lots of spuds, but small ones - When did you plant them? I can't compare them to mine as I ordered mine late and everywhere had sold out (perhaps I should have kept quiet they didn't used to be this popular). The other alternative I suppose is blight.

[Matt.]

Have a furtle and see what there is. You may have got an early spud in a bag labelled majestic? A bit unprofessional but not unrealistic. The haulms on my earlies are starting to die (yellow, brown spots etc) so it could just be the natural lifecycle of the spud you planted?

[bluemoon]

it could just be the natural lifecycle of the spud you planted?

I have to admit I'm thinking this too, Matt. Majestic used to be fine (and they are a lovely potato), but that was a few years ago and at the time they didn't seem to enjoy the popularity that they do now and I've noticed that they have started to die back increasingly early with correspondingly smaller crops. I'm not sure if this is because the variety is getting a bit 'past it' as it is the best part off 100 years old now, or if it's linked to changes in climate. I still grow them (or at least I do when I can get them) but now I grow a more heavy yielding variety too and save the Majestics for special meals.

[stressedoutmum2]

Thanks guys. I planted them mid March and I've had a furtle and found quite a few potatos but they were all pretty small as I would expect if they are not supposed to be harvested yet. They look like they live up to the description of being very white but I tried a taste of some of them roasted yesterday and they didn't taste quite ready if that makes any sense - maybe just my imagination . Oh well I'll stick with them and see what happens, I have some good old Tesco miscellaneous potatos also planted and they are doing fantastically as a back up. I am constantly learning!