As an experienced gardener, I know what a cold and damp summer is for planting potatoes. With prolonged rains and night temperatures below + 8 ° C, potato bushes are affected by late blight, and the tops turn black on them.
It is especially bad if this fungal infection appears in July, when the tubers have not yet had time to form. If you do not start fighting it in advance, there is a risk of being left without a crop. Today I will share my experience with you and tell you what to do if the potato tops start to turn black.
How to understand that potato bushes suffered from late blight
The incidence of potato planting with this fungal infection will be indicated by the appearance of small dark spots on leaf plates. The lower tier of leaves on the bush will begin to gradually turn yellow and die.
These symptoms indicate the initial stage of late blight. It is important not to miss them, because it is at this moment that the bushes need to be treated with a fungicidal preparation.
If this is not done, then rainy weather will provoke the rapid development of the disease. Instead of small dark spots on the leaves, we will soon see a picture that is depressing for any gardener - completely blackened tops on the bushes. Based on my experience, I will say that if this happened, it means that the fungus also affected the tubers.
To avoid this trouble, I am engaged in the prevention of late blight at the very beginning of the season, especially if the weather leaves much to be desired and does not please us with warmth.
How to treat planting potatoes from late blight
To prevent damage to potato bushes by a fungus, I treat them with fungicidal preparations:
- biological (Abiga-Peak, Fitosporin-M, Kurzat);
- chemical (Prestige, HOM, Ordan, blue vitriol).
The use of biofungicides is considered safe for humans, garden crops and the environment, but these drugs are not as effective as chemical ones. In addition, they are easily washed off the tops of the rain. I use them only for prevention purposes, if there are not even the slightest signs of late blight on the potato bushes.
I use chemistry if the weather doesn’t work right away, and the summer promises to be cold and damp. With prestige, I process tubers on the eve of their planting, and I spray young bushes with Ordan or a solution of copper sulphate.
If you want to reduce the risk of potato planting from a fungal infection, grow varieties that are resistant to it:
- Inspiration;
- Spring;
- Peter's riddle
- Impala;
- Laura;
- Manifesto;
- Red Scarlet;
- Sudarushka.
This trick helps me to always be with a good potato harvest.
How to deal with blackened potato tops
If the potato bushes turn black from late blight, they can no longer be saved. Tubers without tops will not grow. They need to be dug up immediately. Otherwise they will rot in the ground.
If this trouble happened with your planting, cut off the tops affected by the fungus, take them away from your site, pour a concentrated solution of urea (700 g per 10 liters of water), and then burn it. By doing this, you will protect other vegetable crops growing in your garden from a dangerous infection.
After 1 week, dig up the tubers. Sort them out, dry them. And the soil on which the bushes affected by the fungus grew, pickle with a fungicide.
As you can see, prevention and vigilance are important in the fight against late blight. Treat potato bushes with fungicides in time, regularly monitor their condition and weather conditions to prevent the development of a dangerous disease.
How do you protect potatoes from late blight? Share your tips and recipes in the comments to the article.
Read also: We protect the crop from the attack of the Colorado potato beetle, diseases.
Another related article: Is it necessary to pick flowers from potatoes, and why they do it
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