Author Topic: race against blight (Read 2775 times)

northfifeduckling · « **on:** July 19, 2011, 09:22:42 am »

pricking infected leaves, digging up tatties early - the crop is not bad but I'd rather have waited until the foliage dies down...I find this race a bit tiring - so many other things don't get done! Bad tubers seem to have been the ones I planted - is that normal or did I bring it in with the seed potatoes? They seemed to be absolutely fine...

pikilily · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2011, 10:28:47 am »

loads of our plants and veg seem to be affected by rust, blight etc...must be the weather!
ET
in fact even my hair is turning a jaunty shade of orange

faith0504 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2011, 11:37:02 am »

I have had blight as well

, better reword that my potatoes have had blight

Fleecewife · « **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2011, 11:57:33 am »

Seed potatoes should be fine but I never save my own as they do seem to be far more prone to blight and I try to dig out all 'volunteers' ie those which come back up from last years crop. The spores will be lurking in your ground, on old foliage or come floating in. Weather conditions which allow blight to develop are warm and humid nights as well as days - over 10C
There are a few varieties of potatoes which claim to be blight resistant, most notably the Sarpo types. Others include Lady Balfour and I think Cara. There are some more but they are not at my fingertips. I mostly grow the resistant varieties (except Sarpo whioch are quite coarse) but every year I also plant a couple of bags of Mayan Gold which are not resistant but they are so delicious - and we usually get a crop.
If you have bad blight each year then perhaps you should just concentrate on Earlies so they have made their tubers before the blight gets them. They won't store for long but at least you will get a crop.

Millwood · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2011, 01:44:52 pm »

You can sign up free to blightwatch (www.blightwatch.co.uk) which email you alerts if blight is in your area, or if there has been weather periods which are conducive to blight (called a 'Smiths period'), essentially its a forecast service sponsored by the potato council!

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2011, 02:57:21 pm »

I get the warnings but usually can see it myself anyway

yes, this year I was particularly late planting them - last year I planted the courgettes out on the cleared plot!

deepinthewoods · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2011, 02:22:49 pm »

ive grown sarpo mira this year again and theyre still in the ground and growing well i just rummage for them as i need them, the blight/disease resistance is excellent and i havent found them coarse at all.