Topic: Maris Pooper

[cornykev]

I've dug up a line of Maris Piper and every single one of them have holes in them, I'm gutted, I had some great earlies and Kestrels but the MP's are riddled, the problem is I've got another three lines of these in, fingers crossed but I don't hold out a lot of hope.  :(   :'(       ;D ;D ;D

[manicscousers]

thought you'd made a typo there, ck..sad about your spuds..we grow desiree or a red one, they don't seem  ::) to get holed the same  :-\

[princescruffster]

I grew Maris Piper this year on my new allotment.  Every one had holes. Discarded more than I kept.  Very disappointed  ???

[amphibian]

One row of my MPs were hit badly, strangely enough the other three were fine.

[woppa30]

last year I grew Golden wonder, 6Kg of sets and had to throw the entire crop away becasue of holes. I think it was wireworm or similar, apparently a green manure of mustard (I think) the autumn before helps prevent this but I'm not taking the chance, desiree for me again.
Grew king edward this year, tasty and very little damage, most of which was caused by some ham fisted muppet with a fork ::)
Woppa

[kt.]

we grow desiree or a red one, they don't seem  ::) to get holed the same  :-\

I usually do well with Desiree,  but this year I binned about half the crop

[delboy]

Majestic and Dunbar Standard full of holes..and written off

Sante and King Edwards some damage but OK

Verity and Kestrel much clearer.

Wireworm I think..

and even after buying a potato fork I too am that muppet!

[amphibian]

I have had trouble with wireworm in the past, yet always found them in the soil as testament. This year I have seen none, yet still have holes. Damage was minimal however, as indeed it has been in the past, when I have found plenty of them, but maybe I grew less susceptible cultivars on those occasions.

[cornykev]

Well I've dug up nearly two rows and 95% seem to be riddled with wireworm holes, back to the grind today to dig as many as I can, fingers crossed.  :( ???      ;D ;D ;D

[PurpleHeather]

We have had this problem for years on our site.

It is baby slugs, some are still alive inside the potatoes and it is most common in lower areas where the soil is wettest. 

The only way, we find, to overcome it is to dig up very early indeed.

We tend not to grow a lot of potatoes now concentrating on vegetables and fruit which are the most expensive in the shops.

[jennym]

Do sympathise cornykev, its a b***er when you are looking forward to spuds and they're all holey. I get the same problem if I leave them in the ground until September, so now only grow types like Kestrel, Anya, Maris Peer, anything that matures fast and can be dug up from July onwards.

[Georgie]

Just to echo what Woppa says.  According to the Organic Gardening Catalogue, Mustard used as a green manure may help to reduce wireworm.  They are selling 225g of seed for £2.95.  I have no idea if this is a good price.

G x