*Help !! emergency potato plant problem *

skiTTish

Please help !
I am taking care of a friends veg patch whilst she is away and the potato plants that were looking fab and healthy have drooped over and looking very sad :[ what have I done wrong ,what can I do ? ? :[

Yorkie1

Many people will say that this is likely to be blight, but there aren't many reported instances of it and I'd be very wary of that diagnosis off the cuff. Whereabouts in the country are you?

I'd first double check a) whether they got flattened by last night's heavy rain (if you had any), or b) whether it might be blackleg, a disease which makes the stem rot at ground level. There's a lot of that around this year. Have you had a poke around at soil level?

Can you take a piccie of the leaves?

ixwood

My 1st guess would be under watering. It's been very dry and hot for months here.

If it is that, try giving them a good watering and they should hopefully perk up by the morning.

skiTTish

Thanks
The stalks have gone yellow and floppy and some have broken completely ,they starting drooping yesterday before the storm ,the leaves have wilted .
The soil has always been moist ,I have been watering them just the same as the orders she gave me.
We are in the north east.
There are aphids in the hanging baskets ,dont know if aphids attack spuds ,cant see any on them
The 3 plants affected are under the hanging basket ,maybe the water from the hanging basket has dripped and either over watered them or scorched them ?
I will take a pic tomorrow morning when I go back ,if they are still alive :[
Also one of her tomato plants isnt draining and is water logged and going yellow ,is is safe to repot it even though it is starting to fruit ?
I have only been taking care of them for a week ,another week to go I feel such a failure ,she will be gutted
Thank you

mrbadexample

Yorkie1 is probably on the right track, as that's what happened to mine. See this thread for pictures of my manky spuds.

Yorkie1

If the tomato isn't draining, check for drainage holes in the pot - can it be raised off the ground if it does have drainage holes?

If it is really waterlogged continuously without any drainage then it does need to be put into a pot with drainage or it will die,.