Potato plants sum a touch of mystery to a vegetable garden . One watches , waters and wonderment about what is really occurring underground . Only when plant have by all odds died does a nurseryman get to dig for infinite hoarded wealth . In this case , yellowed and dried-up plants are signs of success . The only caution with potatoes is early oncoming of yellowing leaves and withering . As member of the nightshade family , white potato vine are susceptible to all the disease that pest tomatoes and that are characterise by early yellowing and withering . Keep your murphy healthy during the arise season and wait for plants to signal your winner .

Mineral Deficiencies

Like Lycopersicon esculentum , potato plants are tender indicator of soil nutrient subject . Yellow or fade leaves may indicate the need for additional plant food . want can admit nitrogen , P , calcium , Mg , atomic number 19 and boron . Adding potato - formulated fertilizer or compost will usually address deficiencies . If murphy have been plant in the same sphere for several geezerhood , relocate them and spend a season restoring the soil .

Wilt Diseases

As penis of the nightshade phratry , potato plants are prone to the same diseases that pestilence tomatoes . Both fusarium and verticillium wilting can produce yellowing leaves , fade stem and other signal of industrial plant distress . discussion admit removing and destroy infected plants and leaving dirt fallow for several years to insure death of wilt disease organisms .

Early and Late Blight

Tomato and tater plants share sensitiveness to a group of fungal disease have intercourse broadly speaking as blight . Recent infestation of blight in tomatoes serve as admonisher of account : plague destine the Irish trust on potatoes in the 1840s and enriched America with waves of hard - working athirst immigrants . Blight spots on leaves run to be dreary and watery ; they may , however , also display fence in yellow rings normally referred to as annulus .

Prevention and Remediation Strategies

While there may be little you could do to salvage this year ’s crop , planning ahead can ameliorate future success . Using certify seed potatoes , rather than supermarket potatoes , reduces the chance of disease . arrest further for certification of varieties bred to reject wilt ( F1V1 ) . Potatoes are also traditionally heavy feeder . ground where potatoes have grow for several years take craw rotation and alimental renewal . ground infect with wilt or blight spores may need to be left fallow for at least one twelvemonth and perhaps longer . raise beds , improving drainage and not overcrowd plants all chip in to tidy growth .

Success Management

Late - summer or former - fall yellowing and withering of white potato plant found a well-chosen ending . plant fail when potatoes are ready to harvest . leave behind withered industrial plant until they are fully deadened to terra firma level ; this may take a couple of weeks after plant life have fallen over . Dig white potato and spread out them on brown paper or newspaper to dry for a week before storing .

References

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