I obviously did a really bad job of digging up my potatoes last year and now I've got loads of "volunteers" growing up between my broad beans. Is it ok to hoe them off, or is this storing up trouble in the soil for the future?
I would hoe them off as they could cause trouble for next year.
I've had the same prob in the onion bed, but I prefer to get the trowel down to them and give them a good yank out as the top growth and even little tats can resprout.
Ninny
I agree pull them up , don't hoe them, they come back XX Jeannine
Some of them are too close to the beans to dig out. I was more worried about the tubers rotting in the soil if I hoe off the tops. Guess i'll have to wait and dig them out when the beans are finished.
Be ruthless; volunteers are one of the main sources of blight.
Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on June 19, 2012, 12:51:37
Be ruthless; volunteers are one of the main sources of blight.
The tubers or the leaves?
The blight would be in last years tubers in the ground and pass on to the leaves and anyting else around as they grew.
XX Jeannine
Thanks, Jeannine. I'll dig up any that aren't too close to the beans.
you could always glysophate them just make some up in a small can / jar and brush it onto the potatoes leaves
:o :o :o at glyphosate ;D.
If you did not have any blight in your potatoes last year then your volunteers are going to be as clean as your properly planted spuds. If they are in the way then pull them up, but otherwise leave them be and enjoy freebee potatoes. We have just finished the first set of New potatoes from some which were missed last year. they actually grow better since they are in the ground longer. And before you ask, we have not had Blight in the garden for ages, not since we stopped growing Main crops anyway.
Also for those who worry about the ones in the Compost heap, we have a good crop coming along in there too.
Quote from: Palustris on June 22, 2012, 14:41:00
If you did not have any blight in your potatoes last year then your volunteers are going to be as clean as your properly planted spuds. If they are in the way then pull them up, but otherwise leave them be and enjoy freebee potatoes. We have just finished the first set of New potatoes from some which were missed last year. they actually grow better since they are in the ground longer. And before you ask, we have not had Blight in the garden for ages, not since we stopped growing Main crops anyway.
Also for those who worry about the ones in the Compost heap, we have a good crop coming along in there too.
Sound advice, if they are not in the way let them be, I've a few volunteers coming up on the edge of my potato beds as rotation planting will inevitably leave a few in. The blight always takes out my tomatoes but never the tats somehow.
Ninny