Dug up the rest of my potatoes today. Pathetic yields and all full of holes. :( Wireworm rather than slugs, I think. Any tips for avoiding this next year? I read that they thrive in ground which has been grassland, so maybe making sure I get all the grass out would help? I reckon I could have bought the potatoes I've grown for less than what I spent on seed potatoes this year. Except for Mimi, which did really well and tasted great.
I had the same problem i found this
http://www.bayercropscience.co.uk/content.output/415/1507/Crop%20Centre/Potatoes/Overall%20wireworm%20protection.mspx
But this i think is for the big growers.
I found that they only attached my beds not potatoes in pots so next year i am going for the potato in 4x4x4 raised bed which is like a large pot and might offer more protection.
Wireworms are a menace on recently dug ground; I had potatoes like sponges for a while. They do vanish in time though.
Growing one of the green manures helps as well... but I can't remember which one :-\ It isn't as much of a problem in the later years as without all the grass roots the adults clear off and lay their eggs in some proper grass...
;D
I had one barrow load from 120' of row.
Out off 3 5m rows (15ft in old money)of Picasso did not get a black bucket full. :(
All that makse me feel better- sorry, Tim and frogslegs!
I dug up a 4metre bed yesterday. The Kestrel were fabulous as always but Roseval were full of holes/ rotten ends. I don't think I'll grow them again. Believe it or not I still haven't dug up my PFA and Picasso so I'll be interested to see what they're like.
The earlies were lovely - Lady Christl, Milva and RDY - but the yield wasn't great. They're just about all finished now.
:-\ Got my PFA yet to dig up....every thing is crossed that can be crossed. :-X
Quote from: caroline7758 on September 15, 2007, 15:37:02
Dug up the rest of my potatoes today. Pathetic yields and all full of holes. :( Wireworm rather than slugs, I think. Any tips for avoiding this next year? I read that they thrive in ground which has been grassland, so maybe making sure I get all the grass out would help? I reckon I could have bought the potatoes I've grown for less than what I spent on seed potatoes this year. Except for Mimi, which did really well and tasted great.
slugs do make quite small holes initially but I wouldn't judge this year by anything as weather and growing conditions has been strange for many of us, so you have to grow what you choose for taste or heaviness of cropping or whatever priority you give to each crop but each year will still be different and there will always be failures and successes, it is part of the fun and the heartache :)
oh nice to know it isn't just me. Out of two patches of about 6 square metres of spuds I got a small wooden tray of potatoes. In the past I would have got about 10 spuds per plant. I did Sirtema and Roseval.
yes Roseval - full of holes and some rotten. And small. Yet in the past they have given great potatoes. I like their sweet nutty flavour. Maybe I will try them again next year. I will do Charlotte I think next year. They seem to give better results in my area. Maybe if I manage to get some, roasters, but don't ever see them in France.
I must get some info on the local types to see what is early, and late as I really am ignorant of the varieties for now. And I must try and get some manure into the future spud patch over the winter. for now it has autumn cabbage in it.
I did all right with my earlies and Kestrel, started digging King Edwards and they are tiny, PFA's still in the ground. ;D ;D ;D