My spuds have had their chips!

[Bill HH]

I am losing heart in this veg job, I had 9 bags of Maris piper that I have been watering well, they were late going in so they are late coming out but I have been quietly pleased that the dreaded blight has left me alone. I did harvest a bag 3 weeks ago and it yielded well but i thought they would get bigger if i left the others, the top growth was still lush. Today they are riddled with blight as are all my Christmas potatoes. I cut the tops off tonight and harvested 4 bags of the maris, what a disaster! dozens of tiny spuds the size of small golf balls! one or two the size of large eggs, a lot of scabs on some of them too. The Christmas ones are bound to be worse i doubt if any of them will be more than marble size. "I have to ask myself is it worth it" Yes its good to grow your own, yes I know they are organic, but there is a limit to the effort versus the return. Its cruel that the bag i harvested 3 weeks ago was so good leading me to assume the others would be, being in a line and having had the same treatment.
Im bitterly dissapointed.

[Littlefox2000]

Hi Bill,

I feel your pain! I can't offer much in the way of advice, as I haven't ever grown potatoes til this year and haven't yet dared to take a look in any of my bags. But don't be too despondent. I'm learning fast that some things go well and some just don't. I think it's just a case of focusing on the good and trying as best you can to learn from the bad.

I'm guessing you still have four more bags out if the original 9...so four more chances for a nice crop.

I've been reading a bit more about potatoes and thinking about next year...with the dreaded blight I think I'll just have a go at earlys next year and not put myself in blights way.

Chin up and think about all the good harvests from your other crops. Hope you feel better soon.

LF


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[Bigmallly]

I'm not promoting this company in anyway Bill but there are some blight resistant varieties available.

Blight Resistant Potatoes

[Potstubsdustbins]

Soul destroying can I ask what you fed them on?

Potty

[solway cropper]

How late were they going in?

With a maincrop like M.P. I'd expect to wait 20-24 weeks before lifting.

[Bill HH]

Soul destroying can I ask what you fed them on?

Potty

When I planted then they had a little meat and bone in each bag and a top dressing of chicken manure pellets after flowering, I think I may have overdone it because the top growth was considerable.

[Bill HH]

How late were they going in?

With a maincrop like M.P. I'd expect to wait 20-24 weeks before lifting.

It was towards the end of May.

[Bill HH]

I'm not promoting this company in anyway Bill but there are some blight resistant varieties available.

Blight Resistant Potatoes

Yes I am thinking Sapro perhaps

[Potstubsdustbins]

Bill it would seem they only had about 16/18 weeks in the ground not really long enough for MP.

I don't think you over did the feeding my spuds to had luxurious top growth, but I am very fortunate in not suffering with blight (fingers crossed) so my main crop were in the bins plus of 24 weeks.

Potty

[Bill HH]

Bill it would seem they only had about 16/18 weeks in the ground not really long enough for MP.

I don't think you over did the feeding my spuds to had luxurious top growth, but I am very fortunate in not suffering with blight (fingers crossed) so my main crop were in the bins plus of 24 weeks.

Potty

Yes for various reasons I was unable to start my veg at the proper time, but next year......

[Dorothy rouse]

How disappointing, hopefully some of your other crops will have been good and make you feel a little bit better.

I grew Swift, the early of earliest this year, followed by Kestral, also early, how about giving them a go next year?


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[Tripmeup]

As you say Bill, you were at a bit of a disadvantage straight away given that it was near end of May, so don't be too despondent!! You'll nail it next year

[Mikey]

Yes I am thinking Sapro perhaps

I planted some sarpo miro spuds this year and have been really pleased with them. They make a really nice mashing spud.

[Bill HH]

Thanks for all the encouragement, I was a bit dispondent yesterday having just discovered the blight, but as some of you said I have had good results with the other stuff and there is always next year.

If I plant some earlies are they less prone to blight? I am thinking some earlies followed by a main crop of Sapro Mira. I am also going to invest in 40L buckets rather than bags.

[Bigmallly]

Early blight is more common in North America & less common over here so you should be ok Bill....

Potato and tomato blight / Royal Horticultural Society