Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: George the Pigman on October 11, 2023, 19:07:27
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This is probably an old chestnut but can anyone recommend potato varieties with good slug resistance. On my clayey soil this year with all the rain we have had they have had a field day.
Last year because of the drought there was very little damage but because of the water shortage the yields were poor!! You cant win!
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My vote is for Kestrel
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Avoid Maris Bard - I think I got three tubers from a row of six stubs, the slugs partied and brought all their friends!
My Kestrel weren't unscathed, but probably the best of the lot, so I'd agree with TeeGee.
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I've grown Kestrel for years as my core variety. There is very little slug damage. Even this year, when the clay soil stayed wet under the mulch they were fine. They have the other advantage of maturing ahead of the worst of the blight season usually. I grow them as a main crop, though they tend not to keep as long.
The Pink Fir Apple weren't too badly hit either (and are a fun potato to have). The Charlotte were OK but more were damaged.
Most other varieties I've tried have been absolutely riddled with slugs.
I've used Nemaslug on the plot for years now, so the slug population may be lower anyway, but even so the difference between Kestrel and the others is significant.
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Kestrel are pretty bullet proof slug wise as a second early. I grow Harmony as a late which are almost as good slug wise at least on my allotment but very good resisting eelworm. They don't produce many tubers per plant but they are enormous a bit too big if anything
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I usually grow Vitabella now - 1st and 2nd early. Not had a problem with slugs, but they are going to be very hard to find for 2024 :wave:
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Picasso did well in my clay soil….not much slug damage and a good size.
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Thanks for all your tips. Talking to people on the lotty they agree Picasso and Kestrel seem to have good slug resistance.
I've grown Valor and a one called Manitou this year that seem to have fared reasonably well. Certainly much better than Cara, Desiree, Charlotte or Rocket where they have had a slugfest!
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Just as a minority report I get a lot of slug damage on Picasso, just across the alley from DebP... so there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to it... my Nicola, Charlotte and Red Dukes seem almost immune.