Arrgh! Potato disaster.

[GILL B]

I dug up some of my Desiree potatoes today because the plants have been dying off. Some of the potatoes are ok but others are like a potato skin containing a "mush". The leaves don't have a typical blighty look but have brown patches and the plants have been failing to thrive. I have searched potato websites and it could be blight, or rot then bacterial due to high temperatures or eelworm .
Has anybody any idea what caused it? Will my good potatoes survive? Do I dig up the whole lot?
Help!

[sally wright]

Dear Gill,
try looking at the symptoms for black leg.
Regards Sally Wright.

[GILL B]

Thanks for that. It must be black leg but because of the drought the stems are dry and not slimy. I'll just have to extend my rotation and buy seed potaoes elewhere.

[GILL B]

Or even try potatoes.