I don't know about your Sante's but the dark green ones seem to be the
Golden Wonders. You can tell them by the very distinctive violet flower.
Mine were planted later and are just flowering now. Naturally they would be
very small yet.

Brown colouration could also be blight!!

Golden Wonders do well in a light well manured soil. Mine look great here in
Ireland.

Slán

Gerry

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Sarah Dale wrote in message
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Hi All,

I'm having some trouble with me spuds. Ideas and suggestions would be
gratefully received.

I planted Golden Wonder (main) and Sante (2nd earlies) from T&M in
early April. The problem being is that the labels have faded and I can't
remember which is which for definate!!!

Plot A sprouted first, and have grown tall, strong and a nice dark green
colour. They have flowered in the last week or 2, and I dug the first few
up at the weekend. The crop was dissapointingly small... I had to dig up 3
haulms to get enough spuds for 2 adults....

Plot B sprouted 2nd (and I'm almost sure these are the Sante...), and are
a lighter green. These have not done so well, less than half the height of
the other crop. A couple of haulms have gone yellow and died off. A number
of plants are now covered in brown spots.

1) Anybody give me any clues as to which is which plot is which spud?
Technically my best grown crop should be the 2nd earlies, but the small
size when lifted yesterday, plus a sneeking suspician that the Sante are
in PLot B has left me wondering.... (I may email T&M and ask them what
colour the labels on the 2 packs were - I can still see that although not
the text!!)

2) What is causing the brown spots on my spuds foilage? I had a look in
the RHS encyclopedia, and the closest looking thing was chocolate spot....

3) The crop lifted on Sunday was marred by some lumpy patches on the sides
of the tubers - sort of like really bad, raised, execema. Is this potatoe
scab? Having consulted the RHS book, its the only thing I think it can be.

4) Any ideas as to why one plot of potatoes should do so much better than
the other? Plot A had horse manure in Autumn 2001, Spring 02, and grew
lettuce, raddish, beetroot etc. in 2002. Plot B had lots of home made
compost in Autumn 2001 and grew garlic in 2002. Both polts are simiarly
aspected.

Having grown potatoes for the first time last year, using 2 different
varieties of supermarket specials just for fun, and having good results,
this year, using expensive proper seed potatoes is not going so well .
Although it has to be said the foilage on Plot A is pretty impressive and
taking over all the adjacent paths!

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Sarah