Veg Talk – June 2024

Blight

Once you have it you must either remove the affected leaves if not too bad, or cut down the haulms (tops, stems and foliage of the potato plant) if the stems have been affected.

If cutting off the haulms then leave the potatoes for two weeks before lifting – you will then know if they are edible or not! The cut-off haulms must be removed from the site. DO NOT put them on your plot compost heaps, take them home and put in your brown garden waste bin, or your general waste bin.

If you don’t have any signs then you can take some preventative measures. Spray a copper based fungicide available at Smith’s Garden Centre, or Chadwell Allotment Shop. An organic method that has had some success in the south-west would be to spray with a mix of milk and water, unclear how successful this method of prevention would be.

Pink Fir Apple potatoes , a very late main crop, are notorious for getting blight so keep an eye on these if you grow them. A good main crop blight resistant potato is Sarpo Mira.

Possibly spraying a seaweed mixture on potatoes. This will add nutrients and make a healthier plant that may withstand the blight but will not prevent.