Remove blighted potato foliage
During August, blight often infects potato leaves. Resistant varieties stay healthy for a bit longer but can still succumb to this fungal disease. A brownish-black leaf tip or few freckly spots on a healthy plant can rapidly spread and devastate the foliage. Despite removing leaves at these first signs of blight, little seems to prevent the spread. Cut stems and leaves down to ground level (and burn, don’t compost). Tuber growth will stop, but they are often still sizeable and the disease rarely affects them. Harvest a few weeks after stem removal, as required, and remove all tubers from the soil. See p.123 for the dangers of green potatoes