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

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.

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.

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

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!

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.
--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

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.
--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

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.
--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

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.

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!

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!

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