Topic: Is there life after -

[tim]

 - blight? IE does any growth continue after cutting down potato haulms?
Sorry for the repeat of one pic - it's just to show what might have been. Oh, well, the little ones are great in stews & curries!! And salads, of course. = Tim

pic1 - less than 1/2 a plant - last year : pic2 - a whole plant now.

[Jill]

Commiserations Tim.  Are they Anyas?  My Charlottes and Ambos up at the lottie suffered similarly.  PFAs in garden still looking good tho'.  Trouble is garden is about to be completely bulldozed and redesigned with no room for tatties next year so thinking of trying those so-called blight resistant ones Multiveg mentioned T&M are selling.

[tim]

No - PFA. Anya cropped before the blight hit.

Resistant? Yes, T&M are making a 'thing' about it this year - but I like to support an all British supplier. Like the organic catalogue. And most varieties chosen for the organic garden are 'resistant'. The HDRA has a list of their preferences.

The fact that any supplier 'leads' with a new, new, new line doesn't mean that some of the older varieties are outdated. Many have shown their colours for longer than some 'new' ones.

My opinion only. = Tim

[Jill]

Unfortunately both my Charlottes and Ambos came from the organic catalogue, as did my PFAs.  Maybe I should go for ones they specifically call blight resistant then.  I tend to buy from them more than anyone else anyway.  I try to be organic although the plum orchard just the other side of the hedge to my lottie plot gets sprayed with nasties rather too regularly for my liking.

[tim]

Yes - good point - neither are highlighted as resistant. Not every variety they sell can be.

As a PS - 'Which' do rate Lady Balfour & Sarpo Mira highly as blight resistant - as they do Pomeroy, Remarka, Romano, Sante, Stirling, Valor & Verity. = Tim

[Jill]

Thanks Tim.  I'm really looking forward to an autumn evening in by the fire, kids in bed, with my new seed catalogues, planning for next year.

Really should check out Which more often, being as I'm a member an' all :)

[Hugh_Jones]

tim, the practical answer to your original question is `NO`. Growth may, in fact, continue for a very brief period, but the removal of the haulm immediately stops photosynthesis, and from that moment `bulking` effectively stops, the tuber starts to mature, and the process of skin hardening commences - the latter 2 events both taking approximately 14 days.

[tim]

So I won't get a record-breaker this year? Sad! = Tim