Purple Majesty Potato problems — and how to fix them

Light exposure turns skins green and raises toxic solanine, even under the purple. Hill soil over tubers and store the crop in the dark.

Cool, damp weather brings brown spreading leaf lesions and tuber rot. Improve airflow, water at the base, use certified seed, and remove infected foliage early.

Rough corky patches mar the skins in alkaline or dry soil. Hold pH near 5.0-5.5, keep soil evenly moist during tuber set, and avoid fresh lime.

Yellow-and-black-striped beetles and their larvae strip foliage and cut yields. Hand-pick, use row covers early, and rotate plantings away from last year's potato ground.