Are my potatoes dead?

sar050680

Hi all just a quick question, I have been growing spuds in a bag, all has gone well until the last few days, the bag is full and the green leaves were coming nice but they suddenly look all weary as if they are dieing. There are no white leaves on there yet. Are they OK?

Thanks in advance, Paul.

buddywitch

Yeh, they be fine. Use your hands and gently have a poke around under the plant and pull a few tatties out to have a look leaving the rest to grow for a week or so more, then take them home and eat them.

sar050680

Thanks for the reply Buddy, I thought I had to wait for "white flowers" to come and go before picking into the bag? My first year mate so sorry for being thick

SEE

sar050680 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply Buddy, I thought I had to wait for "white flowers" to come and go before picking into the bag? My first year mate so sorry for being thick

You might like this link in case you're worried
http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/potato/potato-blight.php

Lotus-eater

Some flower and some don't. When potatoes think they have grown enough the plant will die back and leave the tubers in the ground.
The other reason why they might be dying is blight and look at SEE's link to see if it might be that. If it is, then chop the haulms off and leave the spuds in the ground for a week, then harvest as normal.

Seakay

Another thing which can cause leaves to die back is if slugs have attacked the stems - sometimes at earth level it can be hard to spot.

sar050680

First of all thanks for your replies guys, secondly, I cant believe it, tipped the bag out earlier and found 3, yes three, rotton potatoes at the bottom of the bag, I planted four so dont know whats happened to the other one...Everything has seemed fine with them until earlier this week as in covering the leaves and earthing up, looks like the Blight got them early eh SEE? I'm gutted.

I have also grown a few carrots and spring onions nearby the potatoes, will they be OK to eat?

Regards Paul.