POTATO BLIGHT

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by pheobe, Mar 8, 2014.

  1. pheobe

    pheobe Gardener

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    Hi all
    I grow most of my 2nd earlies in containers, last year with new bags ,new seed and compost I got a fair bit of scab, this may well have been my fault due to lack of water, but the question is do I need to sterilize my bags before planting this year and if so what is the best product to use.
    Thanks to all who respond Eric
    SORRY THE TITLE SHOULD HAVE READ POTATO SCAB!!!!
    IT'S AN AGE THING:oopss:
     
  2. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Blight is a different fungus to Scab Eric :)

    Can be encouraged by the compost being too alkaline or by not enough water during early tuber development. Ironically its also encouraged by the soil being too wet later on:doh:

    If you got it using new bags & compost then it either came as spores or was in the compost in the first place (fungal spores are pretty much omnipresent in the atmosphere, they don't usually germinate unless they've found the right conditions though)
     
  3. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

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    If your last potato crop was grown in bags was infected with blight then you should be able to kill off any remaining nasties by soaking them in a solution consisting of 10% cheap/'Value' bleach and 90% water.

    Or just buy new 'rubble bags' from a DIY shed, or re-use ex-compost bags.
     
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