Eleven months ago today I posted an entry about Potato Blackleg, and this is by way of being a follow-up.
To remind those of you who actually saw the posting, and to inform those of you who did not, it concerned the fact that after some 50 years or more of growing potatoes, during which I had never even seen the disease, and over 40 years in my present garden, it had suddenly appeared in my vegetable garden 4 years ago, since when I had suffered losses of approximately 20% of my potato crop each year. As I had some 2 or 3 years previously started to obtain my seed potatoes from a well known seed supplier (often mentioned in these boards) I wrote to complain the first time the disease appeared – blaming the seed potatoes. The reply I got was to the effect that (a) the disease was in all soils, (b) that I was probably using too much compost, and (3) that a normal 4 yearly rotation would prevent build up of the disease. As I had then no internet connection and neither my own nor the local reference library had any real information on the subject I reluctantly accepted this explanation, and persevered for a further 2 years – accepting losses of 20% each year.
This year I bought my seed potatoes as Certified Scottish Seed from a local garden shop, and just to tempt providence I also set a few of my own seed saved from last year`s healthy potatoes in last year`s potato bed where, if the disease was indeed in the soil, I should have expected another 20% loss. I am happy to say that not one single plant has shown the slightest sign of the disease.
Now unless you believe in miracles you will probably draw the same conclusion that I have drawn. If you suddenly get Potato Blackleg in your veggie plot and you`ve never had it before, then change your seed supplier.
