Frost damage to spuds despite covering!!!

[Judi]

Should you cut off the blackened leaves - or just leave them?

[Two_Sheds]

Just leave them. More will regrow if the whole plant hasn't been killed. Nutty weather

[salilah]

Mine are in bags (36 of them! yes, I know, bit over the top)
One or two have blackened leaves (Red Norland, which are the most active though I thought they were maincrop) - the rest seem OK
French Beans (dwarf) gone completely though, and the early courgettes
<sigh>
Fingers crossed - the outside tomatoes have survived the week in teh cold frame, so they are going out tomorrow...
S

[Judi]

Thanks for the quick reply TwoSheds!

[Two_Sheds]

Thanks for the quick reply TwoSheds!

Yeah, still 55wpm, smokin'

[Flummery]

Mine are already shooting fresh leaves. New and frosted shoots are sitting together! Very odd!

[greengas]

I was told by an older allotmenter to cut all black bits off as it would affect spuds but I disputed this, was I right? Also please can I be assured that the process of earthing up is to stop spuds going green or is it for bigger yields?

My allotment rep/chairmen said I needed to earth up as although text books say spuds will grow under ground they do not and you get your yield through earthing up, I also disputed this was I right?

[SarzWix]

It's quite reassuring to see Tattieman's spuds got caught too, and he's not worrying about it

Let's hope that as the season is late this year, blight be late in arriving too...

GG, if you earth up you might get more spuds. Depends how deep you planted in the first place, whether they're early or late maincrop, and whether they're fed etc.
It does also prevent the tubers near the surface from going green.

[FionaH]

Yep nice to know we are not alone

[Pies]

Sorry to hear you have it bad, spud farmers on Jersey are predicting poor harvests due to lack of rain

[greengas]

It's quite reassuring to see Tattieman's spuds got caught too, and he's not worrying about it

Let's hope that as the season is late this year, blight be late in arriving too...

GG, if you earth up you might get more spuds. Depends how deep you planted in the first place, whether they're early or late maincrop, and whether they're fed etc.
It does also prevent the tubers near the surface from going green.

Planted quite deep so have earthed up a little but not too much I don't find the need, they are all earlies I have not planted main crop yet! Also going by what most grapes have said in this thread I am guessing there is no need to cut blackened leafs off.

[Two_Sheds]

text books say spuds will grow under ground they do not

Yes they do: I have got several rogue plants growing right now where I didn't lift them last year. They haven't been earthed up at all.

[COMPOST CORNER]

My spuds seem to have had it, but I think its slugs rather than frost, Oh well!!

[greengas]

Yes they do: I have got several rogue plants growing right now where I didn't lift them last year. They haven't been earthed up at all.

I knew that and I am glad you back me up, I guess that is part of allotment life where others always seem to know better and have to get there two pence worth in

[SarzWix]

I agree, there's not much point in a lot of earthing up of earlies, they aren't in the ground long enough to grow further up the stem. It's a waste of time/soil/compost as far as I can tell...

Maincrops will grow extra off the stem if they're earthed up though, if they get enough water and nutrients