What's wrong with my spuds please?

[mrbadexample]

Evening all.

Had a furtle in my Picasso potatoes today. There seems to be a problem with some round brown marks - one in particular is quite badly affected:



Whilst I can just cut this bit out, I'm concerned that the longer they're left, the worse the damage will be. And it's only my first furtle - I was planning on eating them for at least another month or so.

Any ideas as to what it is, and if / how it could be treated please?

Cheers,
MBE

[fairyfran]

Are they like this when you first dig them up.

Evening all.

Had a furtle in my Picasso potatoes today. There seems to be a problem with some round brown marks - one in particular is quite badly affected:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]24644[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]24645[/ATTACH]

Whilst I can just cut this bit out, I'm concerned that the longer they're left, the worse the damage will be. And it's only my first furtle - I was planning on eating them for at least another month or so.

Any ideas as to what it is, and if / how it could be treated please?

Cheers,
MBE

[PAULW]

Looks like slug damage I have the same problem, with the drought conditions and the soil drying out I supose the source of moisture in the potato will act like a magnet to the beasties.

[mrbadexample]

Yes, just pulled them up today, and they were like it. Here's one I've washed - less badly affected, but it looks the sort of 'orrible brown rot that spreads with time.



I wouldn't have suspected slugs, as there doesn't appear to have been anything eaten.

[Potstubsdustbins]

MBE, What did you grow them in and where? I.E. in containers or in the ground?

Is the sheen on the worst effected one just water where you have washed it?

Colin

[mrbadexample]

MBE, What did you grow them in and where? I.E. in containers or in the ground?

These were in the ground. The only ones I'm growing in tubs this year are the Blue Danube. The ground has only been converted from lawn this year though. I did rotavate it and add compost.

Is the sheen on the worst effected one just water where you have washed it?

Yes, I washed it and scrubbed the skin off. The worst one was the first though - the last one was only affected on the surface. A couple of scrapes and it was fine. Tasted great too. I'm worried that they'll get worse the longer I leave them, as it seems like the sort of thing that will spread through the tuber.

[Potstubsdustbins]

At a bet either common scab or powdery scab.

2Sheds suffers with this and will be able to confirm and perhaps help with further advice.

Colin

[mrbadexample]

2Sheds suffers with this

Sounds uncomfortable.

It doesn't match the description of scab in Hessayon's book. The patches are soft and more than skin deep.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Yes common scab is skin deep but powdery scab tends to be deeper do the scars have raised edges?

Colin

[mrbadexample]

Yes common scab is skin deep but powdery scab tends to be deeper do the scars have raised edges?

Colin

No, they don't appear to have. Although having said that, you're probably right with scab of some sort. The closest I've been able to find on t'interweb is figure 3 on this page.

[scarey55]

...The ground has only been converted from lawn this year though. I did rotavate it and add compost.

I wonder if it might be wireworm. I had it in my potatoes a couple of years ago where I had used land that was previously lawn (well, OK not exactly lawn but there was some grass there )

[Potstubsdustbins]

Maybe but dont wire worm leave narrow tunnels? I have never suffered so am not sure.

Colin

[mrbadexample]

I wonder if it might be wireworm. I had it in my potatoes a couple of years ago where I had used land that was previously lawn (well, OK not exactly lawn but there was some grass there )

This was actually my biggest concern, having learned that wireworm is a common problem in newly converted lawn, and finding a click beetle in the garden. No sign of burrowing though.

[Two_Sheds]

2Sheds suffers with this

Indeed I do, or rather my spuds do. Scab doesn't cause rotting though: scabby skins feel quite rough and are fairly evenly distributed over the skins (see middle pic)

[Florence Fennel]

I wonder if it might be wireworm. I had it in my potatoes a couple of years ago where I had used land that was previously lawn (well, OK not exactly lawn but there was some grass there )

Now you've scared me Scarey. My first-time-in-the-ground-spuds are in a bed that was previously lawn. It will be with great trepidation that I furtle in there this weekend. I might let the GGs do it!