Main crop spuds still flowering!

[telboy]

Desiree - planted mid April.
Funny old year.

[telboy]

[Kepouros]

You`re looking at it from the wrong angle telboy.  From now on every week that they keep on going is a bonus as far as the crop is concerned.  My Desiree and Maxine, planted the same time as yours, spent the latter half of July and the first two weeks of August in a permanent state of wilt despite heavy watering and when I carefully `firkled` under one with my fingers two weeks ago there were only a few marbles.  Now they`re going great guns and there`s every prospect of a decent crop.  The only worry now is the dreaded blight which has surrounded me on three sides, but after being hit by it in early August last year (despite copper sprays) I decided to shelve my organic principles and fortnightly spraying with Sisthane has kept mine perfectly clean.

[telboy]

Well done Kepouros!
Suffered from blight two years ago (desiree) for the first time in 25 yrs.
Tried a resistant variety last year - not impressed in any shape or form.
Desiree again this year, so far so good & no watering!

[Kepouros]

telboy, I think I`m as fond of Desiree as you are.  However, I should have mentioned that I`m expecting them to be somewhat more scabby than usual this year, and if your soil has been at all dry aound the end of July you`ll probably find the same.

Iwas interested at your mention of blight resistant variety last year.  Was it the one that T & M were selling? What was it that didn`t impress you - the quality of the spuds (flavour etc.) or the size of the crop?  I had been considering them but I`ve had conflicting reports from a few sources.

[telboy]

I tried two varieties of 'Sarpo' that Kitchen Garden recommended. The deal was expensive.
I lost which row was which. One variety was riddled with slug holes, the other was 'scabbed'. The yield & size of the spuds was poor. The flavour was nothing to write home about.
The tops stood very well right to October & no blight.

[Kepouros]

Thanks telboy.  In view of what you say I think I`ll carry on risking the blight