This is Sarpo Mira. I'm not a happy chappy!
Or isn't it?
It does look quite like early blight..... :(
In my trials of the Sarpo varieties, before they were released to the public, I noted that Mira got a small amount of July blight, but it got over it and continued to grow. I found that Axona was more resistant to July blight, but I did run into August blight problems last year for the first time.
Yes, I know that blight was bad last year, but I suspect that there may be a new version of blight causing the problem.
Isn't there always!!
Went to the allotment earlier to find all my super-duper blight-resistant Sarpo Mira potato plants a brown mangled mess, completely wiped out by blight. Whereas the ordinary non-blight-resistant potatoes growing immediately next to them (Kestrel) seem happy and virtually untouched by the disease! Suffice to say I won't be rushing to get any more Sarpo Mira next year :-( <fed up>
Agree there redradish.
Don't grow maincrop spuds now after 3 yrs. of blight probs. Tried sarpo & had more pest/slugs & taste probs. in one year than I ever had with 'Reds' in 25 yrs..
Sign of the times methinks?
Hmm, interesting one this. My first earlies were wiped out by blight and a few maincrops were affected too, about 3 weeks ago.
(South yorks - would you say early blight?)
The Sarpos - Mira and Axona - were affected to an extent. I've pulled off the affected foliage (and taken the earlies down to ground level) and sprayed with Dithane 945. It hasn't ridded the mains of it but they seem to be surviving so far. I was surprised at the sarpos contracting but as I said it hasn't killed them.
I guess as always, time will tell? :)
On our allotments: two plots with Sarpo Mira about 50 yards apart One decimated by blight the other unaffected! Not sure if that proves anything?