Some potatoes developing yellow leaves.

[Ader1]

A few weeks ago I noticed one of my potatoe drills developing yellow leaves. Then it spread to the next drill. They've been dug up now and eaten and although very small, seemed fine. I noticed to night that there's a yellow patch or maybe two developing in a drill nearby. I should say that they yellow leaves completely wilt in time. Other drills seem quite healthy at the moment. My father says it's not potatoe blight. Any ideas what could be wrong? We've grown poatoes there the last few years.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Check the stems of the plants, could be blackleg, if so they will so a blacking of the stem at or below ground level.

Symptom's the leaves turn yellow and wilt, eventually the haulm dies.

Potty

[WendyC]

Sorry not sure what you mean by "drill". Plant? Row? Where are you? What variety are they and when were they planted? The leaves do naturally die off when they have done their jobs feeding the tubers.
When you say you have grown potatoes there for the last few years do you mean on that exact spot? This might mean the soil is rather lacking in nutrients or you gave a build up of diseases. Did you get a reasonable crop from the ones you have harvested? More questions than answers I'm afraid but I would agree it doesn't sound like the dreaded blight.

[Ader1]

Just asked my father who picked them and he says no blacking of the stems. I'll double check tomorrow. But he is of the opinion it's not Black-leg. It's very strange.

[Ader1]

Yes...drills are what I mean by rows. I'm in S Wales. The yellowing plants are 'Homeguard' which are first earlies.I planted in the first week of April. The tubers in these wilted rows looked fine it's just that they were almost marble sized. Yes, previous years grown on the same spot. I have harvested a few Desiree potatoes further along my smallish garden. There's no yellowing on them yet. They were fine although a little on the small side. They have flowered but not started to wilt yet. Thanks for the replies.

[rustylady]

Ader, could you please add your location to your profile? Then it will stop us having to keep asking you.

It's not a good idea to grow the same crop in the same location year on year. This depletes the soil of the nutrients that that particular crop needs, and can also lead to a build up of pests or disease.

Have you added any compost or manure to your garden?

[Ader1]

I did add some fertilizer and also some compost. It's pretty small ie the garden so it would be more or less impossible to grown any meaningful amount elsewhere. Might have to give the potatoes a break next year. It's my first year as father isn't too well and I've taken over gardening duties which I find enjoyable. It's quite a steep learning curve and several things I'll do differently next year. But back to my problem. I'm sure it's not lack of nutrients as I did use fertilizer and compost. But disease build up sounds very possible. I'll add my location.

[veggiechicken]

Can't help on the potato front but Croeso from another South Walian

[redser]

Now I'm no expert but here goes ... Homeguard are a first early and should be ready for harvesting at about 12 weeks. Yours have been in for 12 weeks now. I reckon it's just normal die back as the plant is coming to its end. The crop is small because of the cold spring we had, a lot of people are experiencing that. You could try feeding them to help bulk them up on the home stretch. A liquid Tomato feed should help.

[rustylady]

Another thought. If you only have a small garden why grow potatoes? They're reasonably cheap in the shops. Maybe something else might be better for you. Peas, climbing beans, salad crops?

[Two_Sheds]

Yellowing leaves is an indication that the plant has done its job, and the crop is ready to harvest

(try furtling for a few spuds without digging up the whole plant). If the spuds are still only marble size, then give them a comfrey feed and lots of water (you only need to feed & water spuds when they're actually producing tubers, not all the time)