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My spuds have had their chips!

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  • #1

    My spuds have had their chips!

    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.
    photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html
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  • #2
    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


    Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum mobile app

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    • #3
      I'm not promoting this company in anyway Bill but there are some blight resistant varieties available.

      Blight Resistant Potatoes
      sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
      Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
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      Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
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      • #4
        Soul destroying can I ask what you fed them on?

        Potty
        Potty by name Potty by nature.

        By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


        We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

        Aesop 620BC-560BC

        sigpic

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        • #5
          How late were they going in?

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

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Potstubsdustbins View Post
            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.
            photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

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            • #7
              Originally posted by solway cropper View Post
              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.
              photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Bigmallly View Post
                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
                photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

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                • #9
                  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
                  Potty by name Potty by nature.

                  By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


                  We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

                  Aesop 620BC-560BC

                  sigpic

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Potstubsdustbins View Post
                    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......
                    photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

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                    • #11
                      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?


                      Sent from my iPad using Grow Your Own Forum
                      DottyR

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                      • #12
                        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
                        I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives....


                        ...utterly nutterly
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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Bill HH View Post
                          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.
                          I'm only here cos I got on the wrong bus.

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                          • #14
                            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.
                            photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

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                            • #15
                              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
                              sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
                              --------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
                              -------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
                              -----------------------------------------------------------
                              KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

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