I couldn't believe it when I went to the plot today, blight on my spuds! Lost all my toms last week so it wasn't too much of a surprise. Lost around 20lb but dug up 110lb so all was not lost. Still it is a little depressing after all the work - oh the joys of allotmenteering. What about you, any problems?
Drought. No rain worth mentioning in weeks.
Digging all mine up today, all top growth previously cut down due to signs of blight - hoping they'll be ok but have horrible feeling throw outs will be high.
We always get tomato blight on our site - but the spuds never seem to suffer. I think maybe most of us plant quite early (London is a little warmer) so by now there is little fresh green growth.
Having said that I shall probably be taking all mine out today..
I wish you luck with your crop. :)
The first sign of blight here was on out-door tomatoes a couple of weeks ago but few people grow them. Next it was on the potatoes.
I cut the tops off and left them in the ground. Next week, if it's dry, I hope to lift the lot.
It has become normal routine here. ::)
Same as Nick the tommies on sight get hit but the tattys seem to be OK, I dug up about 90 Kestrel today. ;D
Sorry to hear it, EssexYorkshireman and Aden Roller.
I've never had it on potatoes - but the haulms have always disappeared by July. Although not the pink fir apple which are only just starting to go off a bit. I hope they don't get it! :(
I was digging up Kestrel yesterday too - no sign of tops, so it's guesswork to avoid spearing potatoes. ::)
Oh actually ... :-[ ... I've just seen a picture of Kestrel spuds and realised, I dug all them up first, and have left Accord first earlies in the ground instead... What a fool ::). Must keep better track of crops... ::) ::)
I chopped the tops down on my tatties pretty quickly as we were off on holiday the following day. I didn't want to chance losing the lot.
Since then I've lifted a few but been helped by foxes who regularly unearth them for me. ::) All I have to do is pick them up. ;)
yes to the ban Fox hunting then... we need them to dig our souds ;D
Quote from: gavinjconway on August 22, 2011, 16:08:50
yes to the ban Fox hunting then... we need them to dig our souds ;D
Help with the spuds is fine (I guess??) but not so happy about the help diggin up everything else. :(
(Better stay on topic - I don't want to upset anyone or cause problems) ;)
Yes blight on tomatoes yesterday - they were Ferline which were meant to be a bit resistant - these definately werent! I am not growing outdoor ones anymore - have never had any tomatoes from them in 3 years!
I went up to chop the potato haulms today and just as well as one lot of black heritage potatoes were in the early stages of blight. Oh well - think I will get a crop though
I hope it's OK to post this link on A4A?
But here it is: Potato Council - Blight Watch (http://www.potato.org.uk/department/knowledge_transfer/fight_against_blight/blight_incidents.html?podlet_id=88&item_id=&sd=01&sm=06&sy=2011).
I find this really helpful as an early warning - once blight is reported in my area I keep a very careful eye on my tatties. ;)