Blighted Potatoes

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Phil A, Dec 18, 2010.

  1. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

    Ratings:
    +0
    I cut the tops off my maincrop spuds when everything else was dropping with the blight & left most of them in the ground.

    They were mulched with wood chips from a joinery workshop.

    Cleared the snow off one plant today, the top few inches of wood chip were frozen, but underneath there were enough big spuds to feed us all in the form of paprika/olive oil roasts:gnthb:

    Only problem was some slug damage. Anyone else had problems with underground slugs this year ? I assume its the little black ones. Are there any organic solutions other than underground hedgehogs ?
     
  2. Makka-Bakka

    Makka-Bakka Gardener

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2008
    Messages:
    474
    Occupation:
    Research assistant and someone to blame things on
    Location:
    Quedgeley, south of Gloucester!
    Ratings:
    +13
    Hi Ziggy,

    Had almost zero blight on the pratties this year, just some with rings inside once cut!

    But don't mention slug (keel) damage, I think it is because I use so much stable manure, that the blighters prosper.

    Cheers!

    :skp:
     
  3. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2008
    Messages:
    34,053
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Surrey
    Ratings:
    +54,094
    Ziggy, good result eating spuds from the ground at this time of the year!

    I only grow early spuds, the slugs don't bother with those. They do get into my carrots if I leave them in the ground too long, I haven't noticed them being any worse this year. I guess the test will be if my parsnips are untouched, I haven't lifted any yet - they are frozen in solid.
     
  4. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

    Ratings:
    +0
    No Damage on the parsnips yet, covered the remaining ones with sheets of stuff so I can get some out for christmas, and the jerusalem artichokes that are still in the ground.

    Probably another sack load of spuds still in the ground John, the wood chip layer above them is about 6" so they are well protected from the frost. Some of the same crop that I lifted earlier & brought indoors are starting to sprout but the ones in the ground are fine.

    Ahh, stable manure Makka, that could be the problem here too. I had no soil so I was making it up out of anything I could get hold of, stable manure was a large percentage.
     
  5. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2005
    Messages:
    56,481
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Mid Kent
    Ratings:
    +110,291
    I tried using wood chips as a mulch a few years ago Ziggy.
    Scrape it off once you have finished with it and get shot of it.

    It ruins the soil in my opinion, and robs the nitrogen if dug in.
     
  6. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

    Ratings:
    +0
    Yeah, I had thought about the nitrogen robbery pete. It'll probably get shuffled around as a mulch till its rotten. If it rots before it gets dug in should be ok.

    Either that or pile it up & treat it like leafmold i suppose, let the fungus get into it.

    Going off track a bit, I was in the deli with a mate when he saw a small bag of dried morel fungus for £10, he was cussing as loads of them had come up in his bark mulch & he didn't know what they were & let them go over.
     
  7. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2008
    Messages:
    34,053
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Surrey
    Ratings:
    +54,094
    I saw a telly programme about blight resistant potatoes, it must have been a couple of years ago, they weren't having a lot of success with the taste and the yields were poor IIRC. It would be good if someone had an update.
     
  8. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

    Ratings:
    +0
    I'm searching for trials now John, but i'll put them in the other thread, to keep the varieties together.

    I only got this one going to show cutting the blighted tops off before it took proper hold has worked this time.:thmb:
     
Loading...

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice