What is this, a Marita Conlon McKenna book?
That's right, the blight is back. Again. And we don't just mean again as in this is what caused The Great Famine (though it is), we mean that it has become a regular occurrence throughout 2018 as well.
In the last two months, Met Éireann has issued at least two Status Yellow
potato blight warnings for the country, thanks to the warm conditions.
On Sunday evening, they issued another warning, this time for West Ulster: "Weather conditions conducive to the spread of Potato Blight are likely to develop in parts of west Ulster later on Tuesday."
Luckily we have more options than they did in the 19th Century.
If you are concerned that your fields may be affected, keep an eye out for:
- Brown freckles of patches on the leaves
- Yellowish border spreading from the brown patches
- Dark patches on tubers
- Inside of the tuber is brown and rotting from the skin down
- The potatoes will eventually turn into soggy, foul-smelling masses
According to gardening experts
Horkans, these are the tips to follow if you wish to protect your crop from the blight:
- The best way to prevent potato blight is to plant a good blight-resistant variety
- Make sure potatoes are well earthed up to prevent spores getting into the tubers
- Spray leaves and stems with a preventative treatment
- Be aware of weather warnings
- Check regularly for signs of infection
