Topic: Spuds

[The gardener]

Sorry John!

That bit got past me, it has now been edited out.

[john_miller]

 Thanks TG, it still reads a bit like the salvation to all ones problems but removing one paragraph does make a big difference.

[Ceri]

I got a bag of seaweed meal free from Chase Organics with my seed pots and seed order - The Organic Catalogue describes it as:
"A slow-acting long lasting plant food particularly rich in trace elements. It is a soil-conditioner which helps to build up the humus structure of the soil. Apply on the surface and lightly rake in up to 3 months before planting by which time it will have been broken down by the soil bacteria. Also an excellent lawn food giving strong growth and rich colour."  I've dressed my horried bog-like lawn with it to see if it helps.

[Belinda]

Going back to the original question about somthing to use when planting spuds to keep beasties away - my Dad swears by soot. Put some in the trench and then on top after earthing up, he claims it keeps the slugs away. I found a chimney sweep in the local Thompson's directly and have done this, now all I have to do is wait for them to grow.

[gavin]

Hmm - I've sometimes wondered about using soot too.  Didn't do me any harm when my Dad was putting it round his onions (well, some of you may disagree :)).

I'm guessing there's at least some nasties in it - stupid of me ???, of course there are, or it wouldn't work!  But less or more, now that so much coal is smokeless?

Any ideas?

All best, Gavin

[budgiebreeder]

Don't know just whats involved but i know that both my father and brother used soot when planting potatoes. But that was in the days of coal fires.

[philcooper]

One of the main beasties (on my plot) being slugs, the nematodes are supposed to be a good remedy and, according to a lecturer from our local horticultural college, after 3 applications the little (good) beasties live on, despite the manufacturer who says that you have to keep repeating the applications
More info at
http://www.nemasysinfo.com/html/slugs/slugkiller_main.html

Phil

[tim]

It's all so pie-in-the-sky, isn't it?

I have never used soot - or rhubarb, or whatever - but we mostly get clean potatoes. Yes, I do put a couple of slug pellets into each space. And some folk said put them on peat?

Nematodes are supposedly longer lasting in recent years? But only a good proposition if you have a small plot? = Tim

[Wicker]

Just a wee point, the rhubarb was under brassicas not potatoes - would need an awful lot of rhubarb for all the tatties!

We don't seem to get bothered by beasties (fingers crossed) but do use Spuds Galore as a "feed" and have pretty good crops.