young potato plants in distress

9 years ago

My potato plants are coming down with something I have never seen before. We have had several inches of rain in the last week, and I am hoping someone can tell me that this is just overwatering - otherwise I could be in trouble. I planted certified seed (All Blue variety) about three weeks ago, and started seeing the plants about a week and half ago. We have had cold spell this week, with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s, three (very) light frosts and lots and lots of rain. The potatoes are in 12 gallon containers filled with about 10% perlite, 10% vermiculite, 40% compost and 40% last year's straw/dirt mixture. (I know my mix is weird, I was trying to use what I had. . . )

This yellowing and wilt appeared very suddenly on our first warm day in a week. When I looked at the plants yesterday, they were all bright green and healthy. Do I need to chuck them all and replant with a different mix before it's too late in the season, or will they recover?

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Comments (4)

sweetquietplace
9 years ago
Have you fertilized them?
lilyd74 (5b sw MI)
Original Author
9 years ago
Not beyond the organic matter in the compost. The compost is mostly aged cow manure.
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Ohiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
9 years ago
If the aged cow manure wasn't really completely composted, that could be your problem. Manure and compost can cause scab. Potatoes are actually heavy feeders, and in a container they do better with a balanced chemical fertilizer, preferably soluble and watered in once every week or two. Your problem could be caused by too much water, in which case things will improve. Good luck.
terry_neoh
9 years ago
There seem to be a lot of Organic gardeners on this forum, so I will say this, then duck.

Potatoes need fungicide, both before and after planting. Get a liquid fungicide or soluble powder, and water your plants with the recommended concentration for spraying. If they come back, continue to spray the plants every couple of weeks until the plants die off naturally.

Late Potato Blight caused the starvation of millions of people in the 19th century. They would have been eternally grateful for chemical fungicides. You may have what is known as early blight.