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Scab-resistant potatoes?
I grew potatoes for the first time this year, and was thrilled by the
flavour of the Red Epicure served less than an hour after lifting. Yum. (Ratte is less impressive.) Unfortunately, we're on chalk and almost every potato has what I think is scab: rough brown patches, raised above the adjacent smooth skin. Some tubers were completely covered by it; I scraped it off and cooked them anyway, but I'd like to avoid it or at least decrease the incidence in future. Growing in containers is one option, but are there any well-flavoured scab-resistant varieties? I've read that planting into grass-cuttings and mulching with grass-cuttings is a good idea; does anyone know if this works? regards sarah -- Waist deep, neck deep We'll be drowning before too long We're neck deep in the Big Muddy And the damned fools keep yelling to push on |
Scab-resistant potatoes?
On Tue, 8 Jul 2003 18:21:29 +0100, (sw) wrote:
Unfortunately, we're on chalk and almost every potato has what I think is scab: rough brown patches, raised above the adjacent smooth skin. Some tubers were completely covered by it; I scraped it off and cooked them anyway, but I'd like to avoid it or at least decrease the incidence in future. Growing in containers is one option, but are there any well-flavoured scab-resistant varieties? I've read that planting into grass-cuttings and mulching with grass-cuttings is a good idea; does anyone know if this works? from http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/pc24.htm quote Common scab (Streptomyces scabies) Symptoms: This bacterial disease, which is common in many soils, produces patches of corky tissue on the surface of tubers. Damage is generally fairly superficial, and infected tubers are quite edible. Control Grow resistant varieties, such as Wilja and Pentland Javelin. Improve soil moisture holding. Scab is much worse in alkaline conditions. Don't lime soil where potatoes are to be grown. Put a layer of grass mowings in the planting hole/ trench. Water, if conditions are dry. /quote see also http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/gg9.htm and http://www.hdra.org.uk/nd_spuds.htm in answer to your last question, yes I mulch using biodegradable agricultural paper plus grass clippings. I vary the no-dig slightly by using a bulb-planter to put the seed potatoes a couple of inches below the soil surface. They grow through slits in the paper and are mulched each time the lawn is cut! by lifting time the paper has been incorporated and the soil is in very good heart. hth -- Derek Turner Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it. |
Scab-resistant potatoes?
On Tue, 8 Jul 2003 18:21:29 +0100, (sw) wrote:
Unfortunately, we're on chalk and almost every potato has what I think is scab: rough brown patches, raised above the adjacent smooth skin. Some tubers were completely covered by it; I scraped it off and cooked them anyway, but I'd like to avoid it or at least decrease the incidence in future. Growing in containers is one option, but are there any well-flavoured scab-resistant varieties? I've read that planting into grass-cuttings and mulching with grass-cuttings is a good idea; does anyone know if this works? from http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/pc24.htm quote Common scab (Streptomyces scabies) Symptoms: This bacterial disease, which is common in many soils, produces patches of corky tissue on the surface of tubers. Damage is generally fairly superficial, and infected tubers are quite edible. Control Grow resistant varieties, such as Wilja and Pentland Javelin. Improve soil moisture holding. Scab is much worse in alkaline conditions. Don't lime soil where potatoes are to be grown. Put a layer of grass mowings in the planting hole/ trench. Water, if conditions are dry. /quote see also http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/gg9.htm and http://www.hdra.org.uk/nd_spuds.htm in answer to your last question, yes I mulch using biodegradable agricultural paper plus grass clippings. I vary the no-dig slightly by using a bulb-planter to put the seed potatoes a couple of inches below the soil surface. They grow through slits in the paper and are mulched each time the lawn is cut! by lifting time the paper has been incorporated and the soil is in very good heart. hth -- Derek Turner Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it. |
Scab-resistant potatoes?
Derek Turner wrote:
On Tue, 8 Jul 2003 18:21:29 +0100, (sw) wrote: Unfortunately, we're on chalk and almost every potato has what I think is scab: rough brown patches, raised above the adjacent smooth skin. Some tubers were completely covered by it; I scraped it off and cooked them anyway, but I'd like to avoid it or at least decrease the incidence in future. Growing in containers is one option, but are there any well-flavoured scab-resistant varieties? I've read that planting into grass-cuttings and mulching with grass-cuttings is a good idea; does anyone know if this works? from http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/pc24.htm quote Common scab (Streptomyces scabies) Symptoms: This bacterial disease, which is common in many soils, produces patches of corky tissue on the surface of tubers. Damage is generally fairly superficial, and infected tubers are quite edible. Control Grow resistant varieties, such as Wilja and Pentland Javelin. Improve soil moisture holding. Scab is much worse in alkaline conditions. Don't lime soil where potatoes are to be grown. Put a layer of grass mowings in the planting hole/ trench. Water, if conditions are dry. /quote see also http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/gg9.htm and http://www.hdra.org.uk/nd_spuds.htm in answer to your last question, yes I mulch using biodegradable agricultural paper plus grass clippings. I vary the no-dig slightly by using a bulb-planter to put the seed potatoes a couple of inches below the soil surface. They grow through slits in the paper and are mulched each time the lawn is cut! by lifting time the paper has been incorporated and the soil is in very good heart. hth It does indeed. Thank you very much! I'd be grateful for the names of other scab resistant varieties; in the interim I'm off to water the ones I've got. regards sarah -- Waist deep, neck deep We'll be drowning before too long We're neck deep in the Big Muddy And the damned fools keep yelling to push on |
Scab-resistant potatoes?
In article ,
says... every potato has what I think is scab: rough brown patches, raised above the adjacent smooth skin. Some tubers were completely covered by it; I scraped it off and cooked them anyway, but I'd like to avoid it or at least decrease the incidence in future. Sarah, [yes I'm still lurking g] odds are that they haven't had enough water in the past few weeks. Its a bit late to recover the situation now but June is really the time to ensure they don't get too dry. Better luck next year... -- David Visit http://www.farm-direct.co.uk for your local farmgate food supplies. FAQ's, Glossary, Farming Year and more! |
Scab-resistant potatoes?
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Scab-resistant potatoes?
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Scab-resistant potatoes?
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Scab-resistant potatoes?
On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 07:55:29 +0100, (sw) wrote:
Thank you very much! I think perhaps a visit to Ryton is in order; it will be a long day out, but probably very interesting. A visit to Ryton is always worthwhile, but not for the full range of potatoes. When I said via hdra, I meant via www.hdra.org.uk. The full range from the Organic Gardening Catalogue is available by mail order or you can order from the web-site. If you join HDRA you get a 10% discount on all orders. The shop at Ryton is nowhere near big enough to carry the full range and you don't get the discount! Paper catalogues are available via the web-site too. -- Derek Turner Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it. |
Scab-resistant potatoes?
In article ,
says... David P wrote: In article , says... Sarah, [yes I'm still lurking g] odds are that they haven't had enough water in the past few weeks. Its a bit late to recover the situation now but June is really the time to ensure they don't get too dry. I thought Kevin did potatoes... He's the expert, I'm just along for the ride. But the next time you read about him getting his irritagor out you know you should have been doing the same a few weeks earlier g. -- David Visit http://www.farm-direct.co.uk for your local farmgate food supplies. FAQ's, Glossary, Farming Year and more! |
Scab-resistant potatoes?
Derek Turner wrote:
On Wed, 9 Jul 2003 19:01:14 +0100, (sw) wrote: I'd be grateful for the names of other scab resistant varieties; in the interim I'm off to water the ones I've got. from the organic gardening catalog (via hdra) Cosmos Colleen Pentland javelin Admiral and VERY scab resistant Osprey not yet tried these myself as my problem is blight and so I've used the set of five blight-resisters this year. Thank you very much! I think perhaps a visit to Ryton is in order; it will be a long day out, but probably very interesting. regards sarah -- Waist deep, neck deep We'll be drowning before too long We're neck deep in the Big Muddy And the damned fools keep yelling to push on |
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