Author Topic: Potato Scab (Read 2221 times)

BarriedaleNick · « **on:** August 28, 2011, 12:10:06 »

For the first time I have got pretty bad scab on my spuds. Maris Piper and Desiree so far with Roosters still in the ground. Some spuds are ok and some are pretty bad. I've done nothing different this year - would I be right in looking at the very dry spell as a causal factor. I am growing on a heavy clay base with added manure and compost...
I suppose they wont keep either??

goodlife · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2011, 12:26:11 »

Everytime I've grown Maris Piper I found it be like 'scab magnet'. It doesn't seem to suit my soil at all.
Have you had scab issue before or as bad?
correction for this post;...just noticed you said 'first time'....silly me..

Digeroo · « **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2011, 12:35:12 »

Always a huge problem here. I thought it was the lime in the soil. Though soil usually dry as well. Been amazed by International Kidney which are very clean. Grew some potatoes in pockets of recyclced compost and they are very clean as well.

I have volunteers every year so there does not seem to be a major issue with them keeping.

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2011, 13:08:16 »

Desiree's always bad for it in my experience unless the soil is properly on the acid side of neutral. King Edwards are supposed to be pretty good grown in ground that scabs other varieties and I've noticed that the various coloured flesh spuds I grow like Congo, Vitelotte, Salad Blue and Highland Brugundy Red are generally pretty clean.... Salad Blue pulls in slugs like nobodies business though.... Dry weather doesn't help either.... Other things I've noticed being pretty good are PFA and Pentland Dell seemed OK..... Lady Chrystl seemed pretty good earlier this year, but I've got a lot of issues this year with weedkiller contamination causing stunting, so not sure if that was just cos they were so small.... Oh, I just started the Edgecote Purple, they were clean too, and quite a lovely potato for baking and chipping.

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2011, 14:10:42 »

I have had the odd bit before Goodlife but nothing like this. I guess MP is off the list for next year - it was a first time grow for me so probably the last!
Thanks for the suggestion of varities Chris - I guess ill see how the Roosters do before making up next year's list but King Edwards are probably a cert.
I did all my earlies in containors this year so I may give some lates a go and plant my earlies on the plot esp if International Kidney stands up to the scab..

Digeroo · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2011, 14:56:07 »

It seems odd the scab and Desiree. When it first came on the market it was particualarly scab free. Some batches of them are still the same.

Lottiman · « **Reply #6 on:** August 28, 2011, 15:19:08 »

Ive always had scab problems with Maris piper and it is generally worse in drier years.we always grow them(wife's favorite)and they do make the best roast spuds,we also grew wilja,harlequin,Charlotte and epicure this year and had no problems with any of them .

Alex133 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 29, 2011, 08:34:27 »

I had bad scab on 1st early Foremost (supposed to be scab resistant) but hardly any on rest of crop - Charlotte, Desiree and Cara. Separate row but nothing else different except Foremost planted a week earlier - I put it down to lack of water but really have no idea why just that row badly affected.

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2011, 11:41:43 »

If you're looking to grow Rooster keep an eye out for Setanta, it's basically ROoster but with a load of pest proofing and drought resistance bolted on in exchange for a little bit of Rooster's epic vigour. Rooster is likely to cause a repeat of the potato famine soon, it has no disease resistance at all and it's nearly 80% of the Irish commercial potato crop.

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2011, 11:50:21 »

Oh really likes Rooster but I did not realise that it was so susceptible to disease. Thanks for the tip!!
I'm off to the plot soon and I'll probably be taking the Roosters up so Ill see how they have faired..

Pescador · « **Reply #10 on:** August 29, 2011, 21:13:32 »

My International Kidney had terrible scab this year, and poor yield.
I've put another thread on here, 'Disintegrating Potatoes' and would appreciate any comments.

Basically been a bad year for spuds for me!!

tomatoada · « **Reply #11 on:** August 31, 2011, 19:29:24 »

Just got my Desiree up and I am horrified at the amount of scabbing. Won't grow them again.

cornykev · « **Reply #12 on:** August 31, 2011, 20:12:10 »

My Kestrel have had a bit of scab this year, yes Kestrel, I know, one of the lads up the other end has it on his as well. ???

lottie lou · « **Reply #13 on:** August 31, 2011, 20:26:42 »

My Kestrel too but when I googled the cause one of them was "lack of water"

cornykev · « **Reply #14 on:** August 31, 2011, 20:38:53 »

Mine had plenty of water, I made sure of that this year. :-\

fitzsie · « **Reply #15 on:** September 01, 2011, 17:47:07 »

First time growing and had MP & K.Eddies in the same soil. Only the MP were affected with scab. Won't be growing them again !

Hector · « **Reply #16 on:** September 05, 2011, 08:57:51 »

This is only my second year of growing potatoes, so did a little of a few varieties to suss out what does well for us. We had Pink Fir apple ( no scab, productive) , Anya (not as productive as the PFA but no scab either). International Kidney (no scab , productive) Two purple varieties...one covered in scab. A red variety (no scab productive)Semi-tame Crow pulled out label.

ps...as we have reclaimed old land couch infested for years...we plainted in bags for two years to avoid wireworm/give wireworm chance to decrease...so not sure how we got scab unless it was insufficient watering?

I adore PFA and Anya.

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 06, 2011, 21:55:38 »

Bit early to get PFA up yet Hector, they're normally last thing out with the Sarpo's and old monsters like Congo TBH COngo is even later than those)

Hector · « **Reply #18 on:** September 06, 2011, 22:02:08 »

To be honest I messed up. We had a colour coding system using a lego-type block. (we have a daft crow, it doesn't touch them but removes our labels) I thought I was lifting red variety that had gone over (can't remember name). So instructed hubby to do them while I did the others. They are really well grown on...will take some pics tomorrow if I get home before dark...but they have given us more spuds per potato bag than the others (with no scab). Ate them again tonight.

ps just asked hubby, longest part of cluster on fingers of PFA we lifted was about 6 inches...do they get longer than this/bigger if you leave them??

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 07, 2011, 07:15:45 »

I've had PFA's out about 8 inches long I guess, but 6" is pretty good, I had babied that plant that year, I doubt I'll have anything as big this year... I'd try to resist munching all the PFA too soon, they store really well, earlier this year I was still eating them from my cupboard store in March and they hadn't broken....

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Author Topic: Potato Scab (Read 2221 times)