dug a lot of these up a few weeks back from the allotment and they were full of what i assume are worm holes,i found a thin black slivery thing on one of them so assume smaller than worms?
anyway, anyone know why?and what and how to get rid of them?
this land hasnt been used as an allotment plot for many years as it had been abandoned by everyone but my sucker of a wife who took it on
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www.gardenorganic.org.uk/factsheets/pc24.php
Might be something in the above that might help. Sounds like the eel thingy. Yuck.
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eelworm affects the roots and you'll need a magnifying glass to see them so I don't think it's that.
They're a pain to grow. Wife gave up due to blight.
John
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Potatoes are known to be good at cleaning and improving poor soil, so the OP is doing the right thing by planting them in ground which has not been tended for a long time.
www.letsgogardening.co.uk/Information/Potatoes.htm
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There are two things that could cause holes - slugs or wireworm. Wireworm are orange and about one inch long, so I reckon those 'black slivery things' are slugs. They do more damage when they're tiny. The only things you can do is avoid over-manuring and putting slug pellets down in July to reduce the slugs next time.
Not gloating or anything but I dug up and filled three potato sacks with maincrops a couple of weeks ago, enough to last us well into next year. I'm very happy with them. We don't seem to get many problems with potatoes on our allotment, but the soil is very well draining and stony, and it's on a south facing slope so very warm. The biggest problem was trying to water everything early summer, we had no rain for months.
Last edited by: corax on Sun 3 Oct 10 at 17:23
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From me m8 in Plymouth ~
Try this organic approach me ansom!
Potato eelworm (Heterodera rostochiensis and Heterodera pallida)
Symptoms: This microscopic pest can survive in the soil for 20 years in the absence of any potato crop. It tends to be common on allotments, where potatoes are often grown without using a crop rotation.
Infected plants will tend to die back early, sometimes in patches, and yields will be reduced. Where soil is severely infested, growth and cropping may be minimal. To confirm the presence of eelworm, check in July/early August. Carefully expose the roots of a potato plant and look for pinhead sized white, yellow or brown cysts on the roots. A magnifying glass may help!
Two forms of potato cyst eelworm are commonly found - Heterodera rostochiensis, the golden eelworm, and Heterodera pallida, the white eelworm. It is very difficult for the amateur to identify which type is present. The only time it matters which type is present is when using resistant varieties; the majority are only resistant to the golden eelworm; a few to both.
Control:
Use certified seed to avoid introducing the pest.
Use a 4 year crop rotation; longer where eelworm is a problem. Tomatoes are also susceptible.
Pentland Javelin, Cara, Maris Piper, Nadine, Nicola, Kestrel, Swift, Sante and Valor, for example, are resistant to the golden eelworm. Kestrel and Sante must be the preferred choice as they also have some resistance to the white eelworm.
Use compost and composted manure to improved the soil.
No-dig growing can reduce the effects of eelworm on potatoes.
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thanks for all the suggestions and help
we are now of the opinion they are slugs
this bit of the allotment does indeed get its fair share of water run off too
so im going to put the spuds further up the hill next time
i do appreciate the input
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>> wireworm
I think so too. Slug just a coincidence. Keep the soil well turned over.
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could be wireworm
did see some on the land
havent seen any for years before as well mind
they used to be so common like earwigs
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Could you give us some piccy's?
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Chuck some chickens in the allotment over the winter, and turn the ground over for them to scrat through, about three times at spaced intervals, just before a hard frost is particularly usefull. chickens and frost between them in winter are worth a gallon each of pesticide and weedkiller in spring.summer.
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>> Ducks eat slugs.
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and goats eat oats, and little lambs eat ivy?
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>> >> Ducks eat slugs.
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>> and goats eat oats, and little lambs eat ivy?
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I knew an old lady, who swallowed a fly!
I don't know why, she swallowed a fly,
perhaps she'll die?
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I used to grow lots of potatoes. I always sprinkled lime round the tubers before earthing over. Soot works well too. It seems to deter pests from ever getting established.
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potatoes - MD
