© No part of this may be copied, printed or distributed without written permission – Susan Garrett

During damp and windy weather potatoes can be affected by a disease called blight.

This is a fungus that damages the potato plant.

The first signs of the disease is when dark brown or black patches appear on the leaves.

The disease can quickly spread to the whole plant and kill the top growth of the potato plant. It can also spoil the tubers growing underground.

Any diseased plant material should be burned or thrown into a bin and taken away to be destroyed. It should not be put on a compost heap.