Topic: Blight

[redimp]

Just had this e-mail:

An incident of blight has been found in your blight watch area LN4. Please visit http://www.potato.org.uk/blight for more informationSteve Gerrish, Information Resources ManagerBritish Potato Council4300 Nash CourtOxford Business Park SouthOxford OX4 2RTTel: 01865 782270 (direct) Fax: 01865 782283e-mail: sgerrish@potato.org.uk Sent from ADAS WebJell http://www.adasis.co.uk Ref 16575

from the Potato Council.  It is in an "Outgrade Pile".  What is an outgrade pile please?

[Curryandchips]

http://www.potato.org.uk/media_files/FAB_GAs/01outgradehygiene2005.pdf

Makes sense really ...

[Ceratonia]

Commercial potato growers have to grade their crop after harvest - checking that there are no 'foreign materials' and they conform to the specification for size, shape, colour, appearance etc and that there is no rot, damaged skin etc.

The ones that don't meet the supermarket's requirements go on the outgrade pile and this is a common source of blight if not dealt with promptly.

[redimp]

Thanks for the replies - feel a bit dim now.

[Jill]

RC don't think you should feel dim for an instant. If peeps (eg/ie farmers) are leaving piles of blight infested pots in plain air with the winds and rains that we're currently experiencing then they should be accountable (or have I read it all wrong)?

[redimp]

Oops, my last post should have had a  ;D

Bloke on the plot next to mine has a pile of seed potatoes just lying next to where he has planted his.  I assume that they are ones he hasn't got room for and they have been lying there for a few weeks.  Hardly ever see him though - any suggestions about what I should do as I feel they are threatening my crop - I pride myself in my potato hygiene and do not want to lose mine because of someone else's neglect.

PS I am going to spray mine with compost tea and hope that keeps the blight off.  Just wish I had started fermenting two weeks ago.