Hi all
Have been surfing around looking for ideas for my containers and came across this, "potatoes are the only vegetable that does better in ericaceous compost". Apparently it's to prevent scab. Thought I should check with the experts!
nope.
I've found that potatoes get less common scab when they're growing in a lot of organic matter - dung mostly, but my plot buddie treats his tatties to leaf litter with the same results, and I think it's for the same reason that you keep tatties away from lime. Off the top of my head I can't think of another veggie that actually prefers acid.
I don't think I would go to the 'ericaceous' stage but certainly a compost low in lime or put another way a pH less than 7
This is why my brassicas follow my potatoes because of the need to add lime.
By the time I get around putting potatoes in that patch again the lime has dissapated.
Personally I would just use old compost or home made compost if I were growing in containers rather than buy ericaceous stuff.
One way is bottom third of the pot filled with FYM then a third compost then plant seed. Fill the remaining third as the haulms grow!
FYG? Sorry to be so dense!
FYM = farmyard manure.
You can get special plastic bags for growing exhibition quality potatoes. They are simply a black plastic bag with holes in it so easily made. Always have a huge scab problem so thought I might give it a go. Removing lime being out of the question. I use coffee grounds to increase acidity for raspberries but I don't drink enough for the potatoes.
Along similar lines I've often wondered whether general purpose shop bought compost might contribute to scab in potatoes because it always says "not suitable for ericaceous plants". Is it just slightly too alkaline for them?
I won't have enough well-rotted manure nor compost ready for them this spring. Should I only use bags of FYM? Usually I mix manure and bagged compost because I thought they didn't want an excess of nitrogen or is it just manure that's too fresh they object to.