Potato help!

[robmarston]

Can anyone tell me why half my potato plants have fallen over? They were all doing fine, some had started to flower then the other morning I noticed a big circle in the middle that had collapsed. Many of them seemed to have been rather attacked by slugs too. The others are still upright and look ok but the flowering has stopped. Any help greatly appreciated as I have a raised bed devoted to pots and it's my first year growing them.


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[Dorothy rouse]

Yep, mine are collapsing now also, when my Earlies collapsed, gave them lots of water and overnight, they stood up again, so maybe try giving them a real good soaking. We've had no rain for weeks now, so I'll have to go and water mine later.

[Chippy Minton]

What type of potato (early, main, etc.)? How long have they been in? Could be ready, could be short of water, could be pest or disease.......

[Bigmallly]

Sounds like they could be almost ready to lift Rob. Have you got a piccy?

[Bill HH]

Potatoes have very soft growth and the foliage weight often causes them to collapse, I end up putting canes round mine. But as has been said they collapse anyway if they are ready to lift. In that case they tend to go yellow then fall over.

[robmarston]

They're second earlies and the foliage isn't yellow yet....they've been in about two months I think, can't remember so have just learnt the need for a diary. Two weeks ago I dug one up and there were very few potatoes and they were very small... Although it's raining I'll give them another water today and put a pic up.


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[Nicos]

You sure the leaves and stems are OK???

Sometimes foliage collapse in the centre of the group of plants can be the first obvious sight of blight.
Hopefully it's not..if it is, then get them dug up asap before it travels down to the tubers.

It probably isn't that, but always worth holding that thought at the back of your mind.

[krazykernow]

Can anyone tell me why half my potato plants have fallen over? They were all doing fine, some had started to flower then the other morning I noticed a big circle in the middle that had collapsed. Many of them seemed to have been rather attacked by slugs too. The others are still upright and look ok but the flowering has stopped. Any help greatly appreciated as I have a raised bed devoted to pots and it's my first year growing them.


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I too have the same problem - Desirée - two rows and one plant at the end of the row started to wilt a little and then this morning it was on the ground. Plants not flowered yet but I dug up the dead one (and the one next to it which seemed to be going the same way). Anyone have any idea what the problem is and will I lose the entire crop? See photo below.

[Penellype]

I too have the same problem - Desirée - two rows and one plant at the end of the row started to wilt a little and then this morning it was on the ground. Plants not flowered yet but I dug up the dead one (and the one next to it which seemed to be going the same way). Anyone have any idea what the problem is and will I lose the entire crop? See photo below (I hope)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]46898[/ATTACH]

This doesn't look good at all. The base of the stem looks rotten and the dark areas look infected, probably by a fungal disease. You don't show the leaves, so its hard to tell if this is blight, but if the leaves are still green then it could be verticillium wilt, which affects all sorts of plants including potatoes. I'm afraid its not good news

Verticillium wilt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Martin H]

Could be blackleg ?

http://rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=223

[robmarston]

This is what mine look like. Please tell me it just means they're ready 😊

And this is what they look like from the front.



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[Martin H]

They look fine to me, Robmarston. The foliage that hasn't been eaten is still very green so they may need a bit longer yet to get to maturity. The hedge behind will tend to make them a bit floppy, because of shade and competition.

I'm much more worried about Krazykernow's ones.

[Bill HH]

I agree they look pretty good to me, but with this rain (if your having any) I would keep an eagle eye out for blight. Otherwise let them go on growing.

[Bigmallly]

Tie some string round them Rob just to give them some support. Sommats been having a good munch on them.

[Potstubsdustbins]

#8 That looks like 'blackleg' to me. If it is lift and burn the affected plants ASAP