Diseased Seed Potatoes?

[emilymup]

Which particular types of spuds would you recommend for August planting and would it be best to grow them in containers or directly into the soil?

[tattieman]

If I was you I would get a handfull of Maris Peer and pop them into a few containers at your house and see if they grow alright before you plant anymore in the plot.

[emilymup]

Brilliant, thanks. Have placed my order and look forward to receiving them in July

[emilymup]

Out of interest has anyone on the plot grown Juliette,Anya or Accent? Has anyone kept their own seed from last year and planted it this year? It is normally the second year of the disease that is really bad with infected seed.

Will ask tomorrow. We got the plot in August of last year so this is our first year of growing veg other than the autumn brassicas planted.

[Flummery]

Oh dear. That's the risk you take when you plant shop spuds instead of seed spuds. However, on an allotment site, you put everyone else's crops at risk too. Sad for you all. I'm glad tattieman has been able to give you some good advice - especially about the Christmas potatoes - at least you'll get some this year!

[emilymup]

Oh dear. That's the risk you take when you plant shop spuds instead of seed spuds. However, on an allotment site, you put everyone else's crops at risk too. Sad for you all. I'm glad tattieman has been able to give you some good advice - especially about the Christmas potatoes - at least you'll get some this year!

Sorry Flummery, I think I didn't make myself very clear! My seed potatoes were ordered from Marshalls via the allotment association shop! We get a very good deal as the seed spuds are bought in bulk. The seed spuds themselves were not diseased but as tattieman said the virus may have been caused by others who did not use seed spuds - used shop bought eating ones instead - or the other reasons he lists above.

Anyway, I removed the affected plants to be destroyed by burning as soon as the problem was identifed but what is really annoying is that the plot holders whose plants are affected much more severly than mine, have done nothing about it and their shrivelled up plants are just sitting there, which is what will cause it to spread even more.

[emilymup]

Did I misread your post Think thats what you just said Not feeling too bright today!!!

[zazen999]

I think Flum meant someone else had done that, not you.

Our lottie neighbour left their blighted toms all winter and they weren't even cut down properly when they cut them down a few weeks back.

So, I full expect blight this year, and early.....so any spuds we get are a bonus.

[Flummery]

Flum did indeed mean someone else! But the knock-on effect has lost you your spud crop too although you bought the good stuff!

[tattieman]

Just to cheer you up even more. If any of those potatoes that your fellow plot holders are missed at harvest time then they can regrow next year as rogues and are twice as bad for the strength of the disease the next season as the seed potato will contain the virus and not just the plant. I spoke with Medwyn Williams yesterday about this very matter in Wales where he says people are being affected due to other people planting imported seed or shop grown potatoes.
It is unfair on the people that do things right that they are punished by others.