Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi folks,

My potato's look great fit and healthy, but on my visit to see them tonight i noticed some of the leaves on one or two plants are becoming yellow. Even though some of the leaves are yellows they still look healthy.

So far it has affected about 2 out of the 20 plants.

Any ideas anybody.



Thanks Mike

bump

Hello Tilton
I think this is a sign of magnesium deficiency in the plants. I have often noticed this on young potato plants and they grow out of it fairly quickly. I guess the soil is not actually deficient in Mg its just that the plants are growing very rapidly at this stage and they can't take up enough through their immature root system to match their needs.
If you are worried about it a watering with epsom salts, eg Chempak Magnesium, would help.

John

Hi John

Many thanks for the reply, a bit of reassurance goes a long way.

I'll wait a while and see how it goes, and if it becomes more of a problem i will get some magnesium.

Many thanks again, Mike

Today I went by some potato fields that were used to grow Oil Seed Rape three seasons ago and the regrowth of OSR is like as though it had been sown as a crop. I take that this is due to deep ploughing for potatoes and then all the other work brings the seeds to the surface. The potatoes are yet to emerge but I am talking of best part of 500 acres. I take it that it is the rainfall that we have had over the past fortnight that has germinated the OSR. It just shows how long the spilt seeds lives in the soil.
JB.

I seem to think I have seen this yellowing on the odd plant or two in a row..without further subsequent trouble..in certain varieties sometimes.??..might have been in Kestrel or Osprey.??

...meanwhile in the field one back from behind our house they have been watering Potatoes all but before they came through...light sandy soil and May saw only 2mm rain up 'til last week

Clive.