Potato Blight has been spotted in the UK this season.
Kerry has written in saying: hi my first crop of potato plants seem to have potato blight (i am only guessing from descriptions that i have read on various sites) i was wondering if any potatoes produced from this crop can be eaten? the potatoes that i have got seem to be ok in appearance but obviously wanted to check first
thanks in advance of your replies
kerry
TopVeg has replied:
Potato Blight is easy to spot because the leaf of the potato plant is either dead or green. At the division between the dead & green bits, on the underside of the leaf, you will be able to see the white fungus of blight. This fungus will move across the underside of the leaf until all the leaf is dead.
potato-blight
There should not be any blight in the potato tubers this early in the season and they will be quite safe to eat.
Getting blight in potatoes early in the season is soul destroying, particularly if they are main crop potatoes, which have not yet produced large tubers. As the season progresses, blight is likely to affect the tubers, and then they will not store properly for the winter. In future it is worth treating the potato leaves with a protective spray against potato blight. These sprays are gentle and safe. There is no other way of preventing blight. Some potato varieties are more susceptible than others to the disease.
blight-on-leaf-tips
Blight is a wet weather disease. Blight can come into the potatoes quickly, particularly in wet weather. Once in the crop it is difficult to stop and will only slow down if it is exceptionally dry weather and low-humidity. This link gives more information about the conditions leading to potato blight.
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I’m wondering where Kerry lives and which variety of potato she is growing.
I’ve grown150 International Kidney, some Nicola and Exquisa and also a Shetland Black,and have completed lifting them today. Unusually I’ve manged this before seeing any sign of blight despite several full Smith periods. Could the hard winter have anything to do with it. I live on North West Anglesey
Best regards
John Baker
Comment by John Baker — July 8, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
John
Thank you for your interesting comment.
A hard winter does kill off a lot of potatoes which could be groundkeepers, acting as a bridge for potato blight.
You say you have had several Smith periods – I wonder if the sea breezes clear the air on Anglesey?
Congratulations on a succesful potato harvest, with some interesting varieties. It would be good to hear how you rate the varieties you have grown this year.
Best wishes
TopVeg
Comment by TopVeg — July 9, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
I always grow International Kidney, the variety planted for Jersey royal, as I’m sure you know. They make a fantastic new potato. This year I got my spuds in last week March, very early for me as the ground usually gets very wet in the winter. That plus the non appearance of blight meant they were in the ground much longer than usual hence much bigger potatoes that will probably be more floury than waxy. They obviously suit my ground as they are always a success. The Nicola were excellent also as were the Exquisa bought from Tesco on a 2 for one deal! They are a small variety and I probably won’t bother again although they are a nice potato.
The Shetland Black is a potato to grow as a novelty I think, small potatoes and not many of them. Don’t know how they will eat yet
Best regards
John Baker
Comment by John Baker — July 10, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
This has been a good year on Bodmin Moor. As at 10 July one 40′ row Arran Pilot (lifted) had halums badly affected, 2nd row slight show, but lifting for use. Pentland Javlin, Wilja, and Pink Fir Apple as yet no sign. By now, most years, the entire crop would have tops affected. Usually we have seed pots. in end Jan., but the bad winter delayed till March, so although blight late, crop will not be ‘bumper’.
Comment by Kevin Paul Wright — July 10, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
Kevin, you nust have an exceptional climate on Bodmin to be able to plant in January, sometimes I can’t even get on my plot until third week April, so whilst you were planting late this year I was planting earlier than usual.
I’ve just revised my views on Exquisa. Having just had them for tea with our 1st picking of broad beansMy wife reckons they are as good as Jersey Royals used to be, better than the Tesco Exquisa that they were grown from. So if Tesco have them next year I shall buy some more to grow.
A further thought about International Kidney. They are easy to lift as the tubers tend to all be beneath the plant rather than spread out hence they are easy to lift without spearing them.
Comment by John Baker — July 10, 2009 @ 6:10 pm