Q: My potato plants have been badly damaged by frost. Should I write them off or do you think there’s still a chance that they might recover?
M. Hanrahan, Co Tipperary
A: Frost damage to the emerging soft, young leaves of potato plants is not unusual in colder parts of the country at this time of year, especially when it comes to crops that have been planted relatively early in the growing season. Signs include scorched or blackened tips of the leaves, or in severe cases, the death of all foliage above ground. Persistently cold, strong, blustery winds can also badly damage the young growth.
The good news is that this is almost certainly not fatal, and your potato plants will soon start to send up new shoots. The bad news is that it will set them back by two to three weeks, resulting in a later and possibly somewhat smaller harvest.
To prevent it happening again, make sure to earth up the young shoots as they emerge by gently mounding fresh soil around them, taking care not to expose the young root systems as you do so. Leave the uppermost 10cm of the plants’ growing tips above soil level, repeating the process again a couple of times over the coming weeks. Earthing-up not only protects most of the young growth from frost damage, but it also encourages potato plants to be more productive and stops their developing tubers from greening-up and becoming inedible due to exposure to sunlight.
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At this time of year, you’ll also need to gently cover the exposed growing tips with a few layers of horticultural fleece, Enviromesh, climate netting, or even some old sheets on any nights when frosts threaten, taking care not to bruise or damage them as you do so.
Harsh frosts are still a distinct possibility in many parts of the country until late May, so keep a watchful eye on weather forecasts and be prepared to act fast when and if required.
