Allotments 4 All

Hi all,

After a fab weekend digging, 1/3 of the allotment done, and half the blue whale of the compost heap has been takled it is the size of a shetland ponie now, and lovely lovely mulch dug in to a weed free plot... :)

I have a question, when I was digging I came across some potatoes left over from last year all of which are sprouting shoots,  they had this funny looking yellow centipede thing coming out of them, I have thrown them all away but I was wondering what are they are? and before I plant up my tats and onions do I need to do anything to get rid of them or will I need to use this area for other produce?

ps. I would like to have a continous crop of potatoes can anyone recommend varieties to accomplish this..

Many thanks from a slightly stiff gadget. :)

Don't over do it...
the spuds were probably self sets in the compost...
the centipede is fine..

for spuds all year you need good storing ones...
A first early like Epicure/rocket... the first stores well
a second charlotte or red dukes of York... the second stores well
early mains like Anya..
mains like Picasso/Cara/Desiree according to your choice..
late mains store well if you avoid the blight..

can eat from store right through to June..  :)

Thanks Saddad that is very useful to know, a quick stupid question?

If I planted say Epicure next weekend, when should I sow the second and third?

:)

The long yellow centipedes are a species that lives in crevices in soil or among rocks, and eats whatever invertebrates it comes across.

Cool,  maybe I pick up a few and bring into work there seems to be a influx of invertebrates at the moment :D

Someone once told us that anything that moves reasonably fast is ok. Its the slow critters that you have to watch. Don't know how true it is ;D

I had a print out from the computer from on here I think, a list of friends and nasties in the garden, it had centipedes down as the good guys and millipedes as the bad, I thought the brown ones were centipedes and yellow were millipedes, but I could not think why they would be bad for the garden, I've confussed myself now, I think I'll just go and bang my head against the wall.   :-\      ???      :P

liking that theory on moving fast or slow  ;D

Quote from: Gadget on March 14, 2011, 12:01:36
Thanks Saddad that is very useful to know, a quick stupid question?

If I planted say Epicure next weekend, when should I sow the second and third?

:)

It's not a stupid question... the "earlies" descriptions are how long they take to form tubers... so you can put them all in together and they will produce tubers in order... I'd start putting them in at the start of April... it's quite cold at night here still...  :)

Quote from: shirlton on March 14, 2011, 16:31:59
Someone once told us that anything that moves reasonably fast is ok. Its the slow critters that you have to watch. Don't know how true it is ;D

Where does that leave worms though?

Millipedes are vegetarians, so they're sometimes supposed to be bad, but in fact they feed mainly on decaying matter, not your veg. Worms are dinner for anything that moves faster. In general, predators move fast, everything else relatively slowly. It's a generalisation though, and it ignores detritus feeders.

I would say your " centipede " is more likely to be wireworm, which you don`t particularly want in your spuds.

Wireworms are about a inch long and have stiffish golden yellow bodies centipedes have very flexible bodies up to about 2 inch long and very thin with many legs

Quote from: RSJK on March 24, 2011, 19:25:26
Wireworms are about a inch long and have stiffish golden yellow bodies centipedes have very flexible bodies up to about 2 inch long and very thin with many legs

So? Coming out of a spud it is still more likely to be Wireworm. I suggest you read the thread.

So? Coming out of a spud it is still more likely to be Wireworm. I suggest you read the thread.
[/quote]

have read the thread and i am just saying wahat wireworm and centipedes look like.

Quote from: daitheplant on March 18, 2011, 18:44:36
I would say your " centipede " is more likely to be wireworm, which you don`t particularly want in your spuds.

There is a vast difference between a wireworm and a centipede about 94 legs for a start as a wire worm has six legs at the front and has a dark head and tail, they are much fatter, slower and a different color to the long slender bodies of the centipede

And the description we have been given is?

Just read the thread again and I am sure it says a funny yellow centipedes thing

aving just picked up my allotment book which resides as toilet reading (the only time I get to read a book with twins!). Listed as one of the pests for potatoes was cutworms which are said to be the larvae of various moths. Could this be it?

No, cutworms have white bodies and brown heads. These are wireworms.