Grow Your Own Magazine

Hello, this might seem an odd question but I am new to growing potatoes and although I am happy with the first earlies I am harvesting (Pentland Javelins); when I dig them up rather than just removing the potatoes just below the surface there is often just a patch of grey slime near one of the roots . It seems likely to me that this is probably the original seed potato that I planted having rotted down and not a disease or symptom of something as all the potatoes that I collect are healthy. Is it just the original seed potato rotting down?

A lot of my questions are answered by posts replying to members questions but I have not read this one anywhere.

I noticed this as well. In my case it is definitly the seed potato that has gone this way too.

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The answer is YES, it is just the seed potato. Quite normal and nothing to worry about.

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Thank you for your answers, that is good news. When I saw the first one I thought it was a disease a moment of panic that was going to mean digging them all up or losing them and the main crop, then I found several more and thought it might be the seed potato. I've been trying to find the best way to grow the veggies by reading second-hand books but think I've learnt more from reading here and also from one of my helpful neighbours at the allotment who is willing to demonstrate just how to earth up and explain things. Thanks again, now I can just dig them out as and when I need them.

I also agree with terrier. Iv'e had the same.

Thanks, the potatoes are lovely and well worth the effort of growing them even if you include the clearing of the land before I could plant them. Next year I want to have a go at another variety to harvest after the first earlies and before the main crop. Think I made a mistake with the maincrop choice as I have lots of rows of pink fir apple ; planting them as they are small seemed to take ages and I think digging them up later on will be time consuming when there will be lots of other things needing to be done. Thanks for the reply.

And the original rotted potato will add some organic matter to the soil too!

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That is good news Snadger, the soil on my allotment badly needs organic matter added to make it easier to work and to retain moisture. It is most likely to be a sandy soil and at times I cannot work on it because it dries out so much that you cannot dig or fork it over. I am going to plant a green manure crop in the area that the earlies were growing in. I am also putting everything compostable into the compost heap but I have not had the allotment for long enough to have made any quantity of useful compost. I'm even growing sunflowers do that I can compost the stems and leave the roots in the soil to build it up. Thanks.