Should I be bothered with maincrop this year?

[donnakebab]

I don't bother with main crop either but mostly because blight always strikes our site. Charlottes do well on my plot and we all like them so don't feel the need to change at the moment. Have had a few with scab but once peeled it doesn't affect the quality of the flesh in my experience. We had a dry year last year so that could be a reason for the disappointing size. Each year I will try a new second early till I find one I like as much as Charlotte. Space is another issue so if a plant everything I want to plant I won't have room for main crop.

[Ananke]

My problem with maincrop was slugs, I didn't grow any last year for that reason. I'm thinking of using pellets in the drills as I plant, has anyone else had this problem?

[donnakebab]

I've had a bit of slug damage but my main problem has been wire worm because the plot was left overgrown for a few years before I got it. The first year was the worst and last year better so this year I'm hoping better still.

I have heard of people putting pellets in the drills but don't know how successful it was.

[Ananke]

I have some wire worm too, I think they make the first hole and the slugs follow. Good to know that they will die off with time.

I never seem to have any problems with the first earlies.

[donnakebab]

Apparently wire worm like open grassland so when a plot has been left uncultivated they thrive.

Another good reason for not bothering with main crop is that the more time they are in the ground the more susceptible to pest damage they are. Common sense really I suppose.

[adjohnson1971]

Its strange how everyone's yields are so different. I grew Cara maincrop last year (2011) and had the best crop ever. The only thing that I did different was to plant the seed potatoes with some potato fertilizer. I think it was some sort of special offer with some seed potatoes, DT brown seems to come to mind. Whilst growing the haulms were all but 5ft tall. Anyway, I had superb yields but left them in the ground a little too long as the slugs had a good munch before I dug them up. Definetely will do the same again this year.

[Potstubsdustbins]

There are good years and bad years. There good plots and bad plots. But I find the biggest difference in getting a good crop is how much work you put in.
A lot of people treat spuds like radish bang em in and wait for the result. I too use a spoonful of specialist potato fertilizer at planting time. I follow this with a high nitrogen fertilizer to start and change this to a high potash fertilizer once the tubers have started to form. And the biggest downfall of all is not enough water.

Colin

[Aberdeenplotter]

Only thing I would add to that Colin is that I pray for sunshine as spuds really do need it to perform to their optimum.

[donnakebab]

I agree about the water Colin. Some people think that you just stick everything in the ground and hey presto!

A plot close to mine is worked by a couple with 4 young children and every year they go away for a month from July to August ????

Two people (including me) watered their plot when they could and I haven't seen them since. But guess what? They've paid the rent for another year. The plot is overgrown again and they paid somebody twice to clear it for them.

Should have put this on the rant thread.

[Aberdeenplotter]

left them in the ground a little too long as the slugs had a good munch before I dug them up. Definetely will do the same again this year.

??

Cara are a super spud but are like a magnet to slugs. If you want to continue to grow them, I would invest in nematodes and water them on at earthing up time. It works

[Potstubsdustbins]

Only thing I would add to that Colin is that I pray for sunshine as spuds really do need it to perform to their optimum.

AP thats the good year.LOL

Colin

[donnakebab]

Its strange how everyone's yields are so different. I grew Cara maincrop last year (2011) and had the best crop ever. Whilst growing the haulms were all but 5ft tall.

I couldn't cope with that. I'm barely 5ft tall myself! I grew Cara my first year on the plot and they were full of wire worm so it put me off. Might try them again in a few years.

[salome2001]

I always meant to try a good crop of spuds as we eat a LOT and last year I could only do containers. This year I'm going to be planting lots including maincrop... largely because I'm still trying to clear 3/5 of a neglected allotment and I'm hoping the spuds will help break up the soil... if they do that I'll be happy, even better if we get to eat them till Christmas
(nb. re wireworm: hoping it shouldn't be a problem: this part of the plot was full of chicken poop and nettles rather than grass!)