Help please - hubby in hospital

GiJo

My DH is in hospital after a stroke and isn't able to communicate properly yet. We have potatoes in the veg plot, the foliage is turning brown and withering. What should I do please?
TIA

Fay

GiJo I'm really sorry to hear about your husband, I hope he starts his recovery soon.
I'm no potatoe expert but on gardeners world last night MD was talking about them and said if the foliage is going brown and soggy and colapsing it is most likely potatoe blight and you should life them immediately. Hope that helps. Best wishes.

jascrawf

Hi GiJo, I'm sorry to hear about your husband. Strokes are quite horrific for the patient and family, my thoughts are with you.

As for your potatoes, they are cool weather crops so it's quite likely they are suffering from the hot weather we've had. If the plants haven't flowered yet, give them a really good soaking and keep checking on them. If they've flowered or are flowering, you should give them about 2 weeks before digging up. It may be worth having a dig around to find a potato to check the size and condition (as Fay said, it could be potato blight), try not to disturb the plant though. I hope that helps.

splodger_seedswapper

i would be tempted to dig them up - especially if the ground is now really wet from the recent heavy rain - although it is not ideal to harvest spuds when the ground is sodden - it is better to lift them, rather than letting them sit in the wet soil

if the haulms have died back - then no more growth can be expected - so the yeild and bulk of the spuds will not change

if you are not able to lift them up - cut the foliage off and dig them up when you have more time

sorry to hear about your OH's stroke - i hope you are getting all the support that you need

GiJo

Thanks to you all for your kind words. It's a very traumatic time for me and although it happened on 4 August I still feel in shock about it. He was fit and healty for a 68 year old, went to the gym twice a week, we walked a lot. I feel absolutely lost without him by my side. Family and friends are a great support. DH had started to dig some up as and when we needed the potatoes. The ground isn't over wet, so I guess the best I can do for the moment is cut back the foliage and check/lift when I have the opportunity. How best to store them if they are OK?

Biggles

Cut back the foliage (to a couple of inches) and burn it.

Leave the potatoes for ten days to a fortnight for the skin to harden.

Dig up on a dry day, and leave them out to dry off.

Put them in a light-proof sack in a dry place and they'll last out the winter.

cootambear

hope he has a speedy recovery

[Deleted User]

yes I would agree with cutting the tops off and leaving them in the ground for at least a few days, then harvest on a sunny day and leave on the soil for a couple of hours to dry off. I had to get my first ones in a hurry and they are doing very well in a basket lined with newspaper and covered with newspaper. You can also get paper potato sacks on ebay and I have used them and rolled the open edge and secured with washing pegs. They are in the shed and under the stairs

Biggles

kittie wrote: »

You can also get paper potato sacks on ebay and I have used them and rolled the open edge and secured with washing pegs. They are in the shed and under the stairs

The best place to go for paper sacks is your local chippie, free of charge!

They still get their potatoes in these and are (in my experience) happy to give them away to customers if they ask.

GiJo

Just back from visiting DH. Having been able to sit on his chair by the bedside, he's now back in bed with an infection (probably water). Hope the antibiotics kick in quick. What a rollercoaster. Thanks again for the good wishes. It's heartening to know that MSE-ers are wishing us well. I will take all the good advice given me, especially the one about the chippie. Bless you all.

tilly_willow

Nothing to add about pots but all the best for a quick recovery for your dear one.