Is this Potato blight?

Community Community Garden Problems Disease Is this Potato blight?

This topic contains 6 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by  charles 5 years, 8 months ago.

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  • #47314

    kioralaura
    Participant

    We have some brown spots on our early potatoes (central France, where it has been very humid and wet, with unseasonably cool temperatures the last month).

    Is this potato blight, and if so, what is the best course of action – pull all the plants regardless as to whether or not they have the brown spots, or leave the healthier ones in a while longer.

    If we have to lift them as the best course of action, can I plant my butternut squash and melon in the same area (all no dig) immediately.

    hope someone can help asap, thanks

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    #47326

    Di
    Participant

    Hi, not blight as i would recognise it. And if blight does hit i understand you remove the foliage at ground level and leave the tubers for a while.

    (SW France here)

    #47327

    kioralaura
    Participant

    thanks Di. if you don’t think it’s blight, do you have any idea what else it might be – I don’t want to panic and remove them (not flowered yet) if I don’t need to.

    #47344

    charles
    Moderator

    Yes it’s not blight, possibly old age, you need to say if they are first earlies, second earlies or maincrop.
    If first early I would lift them and plant your new veg immediately.
    If ever it were blight, you can still plant anything else after.

    Plus the advice about leaving tubers in the soil only applies to potatoes for storage.
    The theory for that is so that blight spores which may be briefly alive in the soil do not infect tubers while lifting.
    In practice I find it makes no difference and I lift to store immediately, just make sure potato skins are dry before placing in sacks.

    #47875

    MPG
    Participant

    we lifted some of our potatoes recently and some of them have rotted from the middle (see photo) is this blight?

    #47876

    MPG
    Participant

    trying to upload file again as it failed.

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    #47879

    charles
    Moderator

    No, again, not blight!! (which would be soft rotting from the outside)
    though unsure what causes it, poss. a mineral deficiency. If only a few, not a major problem but I would check photos online

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