h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi All. I have a problem with my Red King Edwards and I'm trying to figure out if it is blight or something else. I've looked up info on potato blight - some of the symptoms match but some don't. For example, they do not have a white bloom. They have pretty much flowered already. The top of the stems look ok, but further down they are going brown and weak. I dug some up this morning to check out the potatoes below - the stem came away too easily with no potatoes attached. Found a couple of them and they have some white spots on them. I have some new potatoes planted further up (but next to) which are perfectly fine. Took some photos as they are better than my description!

Top of the stems: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jemstone33/754974358/
Bottom of the stems: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jemstone33/754974348/
Potatoes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jemstone33/754974398/

Any ideas on what it might be, and whether I can still eat them, or should they all be dug up and sent to potato heaven?

Hi there.
It could be potato rot, caused by all the wet weather. Did you notice any worm type things when you dug some up? Meal worms can cause damage to potatoes aswell.
I don't know much about potaoes, i'm sure someone more clued up on them will be along to help.

Hi Jemstone ,

I have read your potato problem, had an idea what it is at first but did a bit of research to confirm my answer .

What your potatoes is suffering from is indeed 'Potato Blight'. It is mainly caused because of the wet conditions we have been experiencing this month. When potato blight starts to attack the foliage then it can trigger other fungal diseases off to which affect the tubers .

As for eating, definately the ones with the fungal spots on, shouldn't be eaten but I would cut open a couple of the okay ones and see what they are like inside e.g. not dry. Also, it depends on how many of the tubers have been affected with the white spots. If its just the odd few per plant then the good ones should be fine to eat but just have a look inside a couple of them first and don't use any with holes etc.. in.

Potato blight is quite a common problem. It is mainly to do with the wet weather we have. Normally it doesn't affect the tubers but it can trigger off certain fungal problems which affect the tubers.

I hope this helps and you can try a few of your potatoes for eating.

Thanks you two. No grubs or worms in the soil, but due to all the rain we have had here for the last month (and the rest!)I was convinced it was blight. My other half read one description, saw the words "white bloom", and because we couldn't really see any he decided that it wasn't blight! I knew someone on here would be able to help. Thank you so much youngsuper Nigel - having just read your PS I now know who to ask for help in the future!

I'll be doing some more digging and checking for white spots and hopefully I'll be able to save a few!

My tomatos had early blight (less devastating than late blight) this year but thankfully I got them pulled up before it spread to the spuds. I think you'll have to plant a different crop in that spot for the next few years to avoid it coming back. Make sure you get all the little spuds up too as they can harbour the disease.

I always rotate the crops so I certainly wont be planting more spuds there for a couple of years. Looks like I will be doing a LOT of digging over the next few evenings (weather permitting) to make sure I get them all. Of course it is sods law that this is the year I started them off extra deep so I will be knee deep to get to them all!

Your welcome, anytime

"doing a lot of digging...sod's law..."

Quite appropriate really!

Nigel has asked me to say he is without Internet access at the moment but will be back as soon as possible.



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