Saturday, May 2, 2009

Potato Brown Spot


I planted potatoes in February. They grew beautifully. I knew they should be mounded. I didn't want to put soil up on those beautiful greens. Mounding would help increase the size and quantity of potatoes produced. I mounded them last week. Now the beautiful greens have brown spots.
This looks like the brown spot fungus I regularly get on my roses. I treat those by spraying a 2:1 mixture of water and white vinegar on the affected area. Any fallen leaves are cleaned up quickly so the fungus doesn't spread. The potatoes got the same treatment this morning.
The problem could have been in the soil. I added some bagged soil when I mounded. It may have had the fungus that spread to the potatoes. Nonetheless, I hope I can nip this in the bud.

3 comments:

Lisa Paul said...

Don't want to denigrate your ladybugs (although mine were lazy loafers), but in my quest to learn about all things aphid, I discovered that the little pests can't take the heat. They flourish in the spring, then naturally die off when a hot California summer rolls around. Up North, we're not having summer yet, but maybe you are in Bakersfield.

MAYBELLINE said...

They ladybugs are still around although there are fewer. I suspect that the babies will take over soon. Note: most everything will die off when summer rolls around in Bakersfield. Only the strong survive.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what those brown spots could be. We haven't gotten them on our potatoes before...at least that I can remember. Wish I could have been more of a help. Your dog is SO cute! What a fluff ball!