potato query (frost?)

[jacob]

Some of my potatoes are looking rather unhappy. Leaves with crispy yellow/brown/black bits. I would say frost damage, but there hasn't obviously been a frost here (certainly not according to the useless thermometer in the greenhouse). So, questions:

a) If it is frost damage (which I can't recall having had in the past) will tober powered potatoes recover?

b) Any other suggestions as to what the problem might be?

Thanks in advance!

[mattyod]

it maybe frost, but it sounds abit like potato blight
have a look at this link and see if it's anything like that.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/asse...ria_solani.jpg

hope this helps

[jacob]

I doubt it's blight, it has got the blotchy look about it. It's also rather early in the year and dry rather than damp. The blight problems will arise in a couple of months!

[Two_Sheds]

It's not ruddy blight in this weather! It's like November outside. You can stop worrying about blight until July/August

[Two_Sheds]

will tober powered potatoes recover?

wassat?

Where are your spuds? In the greenhouse? (you mentioned a greenhouse thermometer).

[jacob]

Ah, my lack of clarity, sorry. My best indication of min temp is the greenhouse thermometer (haven't got a max/min one outside). So what I meant was if all the leaves have been nibbled (in one case chomped) by frost will the plant keep growing (powered by the seed potato)?

Not that there's much I can do about it either way.

[Two_Sheds]

If there are only a few black patches (from frost or wind damage) and the leaves keep growing, you're OK.

If the entire foliage turns to black mush, they've had it. My spuds have only just come through, so they are OK, but my broad beans were battered by frost this winter. Most have carried on growing, I only completely lost a couple, although they look tatty and are several weeks behind compared to last year.

[jacob]

Cheers, hopefully I've got away with it...

I'm going to go and sit in the greenhouse and pretend it's spring now.

[Bigmallly]

Be careful next week Jacob, frost is forcast for parts of the UK Mon & Tues.