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potato harvest
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Topic: potato harvest (Read 2214 times)
peanuts
Hectare
Posts: 722
potato harvest
«
on:
July 03, 2019, 17:50:15 »
Yesterday we dug up our three rows of early/mid potatoes and are very pleased with the crop this year. Often we've had too many part-eaten by the horrible mole crickets, but we seem to have mostly kept them at bay this year. Mind you, we did catch three!
We've just one long row of Pink Fir Apple to harvest a little later.
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Beersmith
Hectare
Posts: 892
Duston, Northampton. Loam / sand.
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #1 on:
July 03, 2019, 19:33:27 »
Interesting!
Where are you located? I don't think mole crickets are native to the UK. I have never seen one.
That said, lots of pests get introduced by accident or careless behaviour when people import plants, bulbs, tubers and other plant material. In a new setting and lacking any natural predators they can be hugely damaging. It is another negative effect of climate change that some pests and diseases that are geographically limited may spread into temperate regions.
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Not mad, just out to mulch!
plotstoeat
Acre
Posts: 364
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #2 on:
July 03, 2019, 20:37:51 »
never heard of mole crickets. Glad they don't play up here
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plotstoeat
Acre
Posts: 364
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #3 on:
July 03, 2019, 20:41:25 »
Just found one called a Northern mole cricket. Oh nuts!
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peanuts
Hectare
Posts: 722
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #4 on:
July 03, 2019, 21:21:11 »
We're in south west France on the edge of the Pyrenees. We've learnt to live with mole crickets, but have to wage war on them all the time. One year there were lots in some manure from the next-door farmer. When we discovered some, we went through the manure with a tooth comb, and found over 80 adults and 50 nests- not funny at all! They are nasty things.
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saddad
Hectare
Posts: 17,896
Derby, Derbyshire (Strange, but true!)
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #5 on:
July 03, 2019, 21:22:26 »
New one on me... unless it has another name, I get the odd cricket but usually from the long grass on unkempt plots.
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peanuts
Hectare
Posts: 722
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #6 on:
July 04, 2019, 06:54:25 »
They're quite big! And fast!
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ancellsfarmer
Hectare
Posts: 1,335
Plot is London clay, rich in Mesozoic fossils
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #7 on:
July 04, 2019, 08:06:10 »
And just when you thought it safe to venture out, this lot have a 'good idea'
https://www.buglife.org.uk/news-and-events/news/action-for-mole-cricket
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Freelance cultivator qualified within the University of Life.
peanuts
Hectare
Posts: 722
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #8 on:
July 04, 2019, 09:37:12 »
Hmmmmm. Not sure about that at all! Having experienced the severe damage they can do in no time, over a whole potato crop, I certainly wouldn't want to encourage them in any way at all. Particularly as there is no way now of getting rid of them, except by catching them, and hopefully finding any nexts. They love manure heaps, and compost heaps. We tried phenomones for a couple of years, expensive and no way of telling whether it was effective or not. One sure way of catching them is to water eg a compost heap with water with a good dose of washing up liquid. And up they come within a minute or so.
So good luck to anyone trying to grow potatoes on the edge of the New Forest!
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pumkinlover
Guest
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #9 on:
July 04, 2019, 12:48:29 »
Hmm I hope this gets thought about with temperature rises it seems daaft to bring in what appears to be another pest.
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galina
Hectare
Posts: 5,462
Johanniskirchen
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #10 on:
July 04, 2019, 12:58:25 »
I guess Colorado beetle is another one that will soon affect UK potato growing. It is widespread on the Continent.
Do you get this pest, Peanuts?
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plotstoeat
Acre
Posts: 364
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #11 on:
July 04, 2019, 14:08:30 »
I believe they can fly too. Not too far I hope.
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peanuts
Hectare
Posts: 722
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #12 on:
August 01, 2019, 08:54:11 »
Harvested yesterday the last potatoes (much earlier here than years ago when we were in Herts) and my absolute favourite - Pink Fir Apple. 5 ½ kilos from 10 plants, the best crop we've had for ages. Only three damaged potatoes from mole crickets, too. Really satisfying!
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BarriedaleNick
Global Moderator
Hectare
Posts: 4,135
Cartaxo, Portugal
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #13 on:
August 02, 2019, 08:07:46 »
Nice - I love PFA and mine are going great guns and sprawling all over the place. I'll see what return we get as I think I planted 10 too..
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Moved to Portugal - ain't going back!
Beersmith
Hectare
Posts: 892
Duston, Northampton. Loam / sand.
Re: potato harvest
«
Reply #14 on:
August 04, 2019, 09:59:32 »
As ever, I can only comment on what has happened in my area. Hereabouts it has been an exceptional year for spuds. Everyone on my field is reporting good results. Heavy yields, little or no blight and curiously no major slug problems.
Often spuds do well when conditions are not too dry. But those are the conditions that suit slugs as well. Anyway I hope you are experiencing similar good fortune regardless of your location.
Cheers
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Not mad, just out to mulch!
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