what is stripping my potato tops?

[astisan]

Hi everyone, I can't understand why a few of my potato plants are completely chewed/stripped to skeleton state. I've got several different types planted, earlies, 2nd earlies and maincrop, and the ones that are chewed seem to be random ie whatever it is doesn't have a particluar favourite! Any ideas out there - will there still be potatoes if I leave them in the ground (obviously I 'll have to wait and see I suppose.

[Flummery]

Could be slugs - they seem to eat everything. If there's absolutely no top growth the spuds will not grow any more. You might get some re-growth. As you say, it's a wait-and-see job!

[Pootle]

I think its probably slugs too - we share our plot with OH's work colleague and his potatoes have been chomped to bits (Pink Fir Apple) and whilst the little blighters have not touched our Rocket spuds they've also had a go at our PFA...they obviously have taste! (I hadn't read anything about Rocket being not a very good spud until after I'd planted them!)

[Mikey]

Slugs, and millions of them. This year has been so mild that the winter didn't kill as many off as is normal. Found out a couple of weeks ago that, rotovating reduces as much as 75% of the population of slugs on your plot, guess what I'll be doing next year.

[gojiberry]

If the plants have been stripped I would put my money on caterpillars. Slugs can be damaging and will completely devour seedlings but no amount of slugs will strip a potato plant in full swing. Have a very careful look for caterpillars especially green ones which are hard to see.

Ian

[rustylady]

I've had the same problem with two plants growing next to the grassed path which has got totally out of control due to the wet weather. My bet is snails as slugs don't climb, and the little b*****s are hiding in the long wet grass. Put down some blue "smarties" for them at the weekend. No sign of caterpillars goji and to my knowledge there aren't any caterpillars which use potatoes as a host/food plant.

[Mikey]

If the plants have been stripped I would put my money on caterpillars. Slugs can be damaging and will completely devour seedlings but no amount of slugs will strip a potato plant in full swing. Have a very careful look for caterpillars especially green ones which are hard to see.

Ian

I could send you a picture of what they did to some of mine before I got a handle on it, 10 slugs or more on a plant will strip it to look like a tree in winter.

I've had the same problem with two plants growing next to the grassed path which has got totally out of control due to the wet weather. My bet is snails as slugs don't climb, and the little b*****s are hiding in the long wet grass. Put down some blue "smarties" for them at the weekend. No sign of caterpillars goji and to my knowledge there aren't any caterpillars which use potatoes as a host/food plant.

Slugs can climb, and can dangle upside down, they prefer to eat the leaves from underneath where they cannot be spotted.

[Mikey]

Personally I refuse to use the little blue smarties, as they are predominantly made up of the same ingredients as dog biscuits, with 4% poison. I have no idea how many hedgehogs roam around our allotments and wish them no harm. I am currently using sharp sand around the base which I top up every couple of days, and some ash off the fire. We have heavy clay which is the slugs favourite soil structure, so anything I can do to discourage their long term presence the better.

When I was having problems a couple of weeks ago, I came across this site

[mythyme]

i have grown 4 varieties of potato and the only one to be slugged is Pentland Javelin. Orla, Sharpe's Express and unknown as label disappeared! all seem fine. Am growing in raised bed and ones on the edge , near path are worst affected. QUestion... why are volunteers never affected by anything?!!

[Flummery]

Raised bed edges are ideal slug traps. They go down the side between the soil and the bed edge and proliferate - cheeky beggars!

I suspect volunteers are affected but you just aren't checking and counting the crop like you do with your sepcial stuff.

[bluemoon]

We've never has this problem, but last year 'something' - pigeons, I suspect - pulled all the flowers off. As we were away at the time we didn't realize for a week or two, when a close inspection revealed the flower stems with no bud/flower attached. By this point our much looked forward to new potatoes were the size of bakers. Still edible, but just not the same.

[Flummery]

However, new potato chips are really heaven!

[Paulottie]

However, new potato chips are really heaven!

Interesting...I was always led to believe that they didn't crisp up very well....must give it a go when I get to the overgrown spud end of the crop.

[Flummery]

We always save the last few for a chip pig-out. They crisp up on the outside but the centres are buttery and soft. Ohh I'm getting meself going!

[astisan]

Thanks everyone for your comments, I'm off up to the plot to see which of the theories fits, I have a feeling it's pretty much random, because only about 3 are affected and they are dotted around the plot, except that all are next to a grass border - must get rid of the grass paths, it takes more time keeping them in order than anything else. I have a new query now... more later