potatoes and the wet weather

[poppysocks]

Hi, I wondered if anyone could help. This the third year I have tried to grow potatoes. I don't have any problems with earlies and second earlies which I grow in bags but am not having much success with main crop. Last year I was stuck with blight and this year they aren't growing very well at all. I am growing them in a different location in my new allotment. I have noticed that some are doing better than others and the ones doing better are at the drier end on of the plot (if there is such a thing) and some varieties are doing better than others. I am wondering how much the wet weather affects them and if certain varieties are more likely to be affected than others. I really would like to get a good crop next year so would really welcome any and all advice. The varieties that are doing ok are Cara and Maris Piper, so so is Sarpo Mira, badly is Sarpo Shona and Shetland Black and not growing at all Highland Burgandy Red. Thanks

[Tam]

Blightwatch.co.uk - the essential service for professional potato growers This is a site that warns you of Smiths Periods - that is times when blight is likely. These are times when the temperature is above 10 degrees C and the humidity is above 90 for periods of nine hours. If you register, you will be sent warning emails when this occurs.

This isn't the best year for growing potatoes as the weather has been so dire.

[SarzWix]

My potatoes are hit-and-miss this year too. Of my maincrops, I've found that Sarpo Mira and Axona are always slow growers to begin with; they take ages to show above ground, but once they do, they usually grow quite strongly, so I'm not too worried about them. My Desiree on the other hand, are tiny, and they usually do well on my plot. I can see them being hit by blight before I get any sort of crop from them Heigh ho, you win some, you lose some.

[Kaiya]

I have Charlotte (supermarket leftovers), Anya, Valor and King Edward on the lottie and Anya and KE in bags. Mine allotment plants are tiny too - about 6-8 inches high, some just veins where the slugs have eaten all the leaf bodies. I thought it was drought though that had resulted in their diminutive stature. The ones in bags by the house doing very well - 3 foot high, trying to walk out of the bags. I've never had much luck with potatoes.

[poppysocks]

Thanks for all your replies and advice especially about blight. Oh and I had forgotten about the slug damage! Anyway will carry on trying and will concentrate my efforts on those that do best this year. I think it's a challenging year this year but at least my beans seem to be doing well!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Providing your ground drains well then plenty of rain is a godsend when growing spuds. What we are missing this year is warmth.

Colin