A vicious rumour, - or is it true that we cannot grow potatoes on our allotments 2013

[gardenpassion]

Hi All,
I have just heard a vicious rumour that the council are going to stop us growing potatoes next year.
Has anyone heard about this at their allotment?
Is it legislation brought in from the 'oh so lovely - not' government, or is it the misguided council reading and believing all!!

What do you all think about this. or am I misinformed and this is already an idea in place?

Thanks for any comments

[veggiechicken]

Sounds like a "vicious rumour" being spread through Chinese whispers like this
Perhaps its connected with this http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ult_68364.html

[Pinfold Plotter]

Well if it were true they would have to send someone out to my plot to do away with the rogue ones that pop up (in entirely new places) each year...

[gardenpassion]

Ok thanks. That is reassuring. The council know nothing about gardening but do like to see themselves as proactive!!! I was thinking of getting some arguments together if it is true.
Any suggestions?
I thought if they insist then we could suggest growing only blight resistant ones. Or even just earlies.
I was quite annoyed about the suggestion that allotmenteers are to blame for the blight. Surely the weather was more to do with it?
Anyway. Thanks for your wisdom guys!

[lottie dolly]

It has to be just that,a rumour,surely a warning would have to go out first,and we all know the speed of our beloved powers that be,then what next,cabbages,or the allotemnts themselves,

[alldigging]

I'm probably only going to grow one lot of earlies next year. Bit disappointing with the main crop with the weather and slugs.

I believe there are restrictions on amateurs growing hops in hop growing areas though - so there is a precedent.

[Nicos]

What about tomatoes?
They get blight too!
( best not mention that!)

[BertieFox]

IN any case, it is not gardeners or allotmenteers who are responsible for the spread and increased virulence of blight, but the farmers. They use lots of fungicides and monocultures of hundreds of acres of the things, so that the fungus increases its virulence and resistance to sprays. And of course, once established in a commercial crop, the wind takes the spores everywhere and this infects our crops. I am NOT convinced on the potato volunteer idea as I often leave these to get an early crop of spuds and in good 'no blight' years there's no problem, and in the blight years, the disease would have arrived anyway. Having said that, it is probably a good idea to pull them out anyway for simple hygiene and management reasons, but most blight arrives in the rain and the wind.

[kathycam]

Think I'm going to grow oca and dahalia yam instead this year. Potatoes take up a lot of space, and are cheap to buy, plus plot neighbours gave me some this year. I'd rather grown more exciting stuff on my little half plot. I did enjoy my potatoe mound this year, growing them in a pile of grass, mud and weeds from digging up a bed. But hopefully this year, I'll find something else to grow on the mound.

[Pinfold Plotter]

There is an article in the Telegraph today about this: The fight against potato blight - Telegraph