PLANT HEALTH
1) A healthy plant is much more able to withstand poor weather conditions and attacks from disease carrying spores. Good soil preparation is essential for a good crop.
2) A wheelbarrow full of well rotted farmyard manure or compost per 10m2 should be dug in in the spring. This will supply organic matter as well as the necessary nutrients.
3) Soil ph should be between 6 and 6.5. Do not plant in freshly limed ground as this may encourage the development of scab. Potatoes need full sun to grow. They prefer light, lose well drained soil.
4) Make sure the soil has adequate Potash levels. Many potato diseases - often mistaken for Blight - have their roots in poor soil and insufficient nutrients.
5) Like any other crop it is important to rotate so that they are not grown in the same spot for at least three years. Sow some green manures as potatoes like soil that is rich in organic matter.
6) Potatoes are heavy feeders and benefit from Liquid Feeds. Spray with Liquid Seaweed, Liquid Garlic or Vitanal to strengthen the crop.
You can also make home made sprays from Nettles or Comfrey.
| BLIGHT
1) The best way to avoid blight is to grow strong plants and plant resistant varieties. Getting off to a good start is very important, soil preparation can not be overlooked.
2) The first symptoms of blight are small dark green/black decaying spots on the leaves
3) Potatoes are at risk from blight when the weather turns muggy and humid and there is a minimum temperature of 10 celsius. Blight warnings will be issued by Met Eireann.
4) Spraying with a copper based spray will stop the blight spores sticking to potato leaves. Once the plant has blight spraying will not help. Keep tubers well earthed up to reduce the risk of the spores washing down to the tubers. Cutting down the halum will reduce the risk of tuber infection. Wait for about 14 days before lifting the crop to allow the skins to set.
5) Don't leave any tubers
in the soil or plant tubers from
an infected crop
Leaf showing signs of blight.
|
COMMON SCAB
1) Is a disfigurement of the skin and takes the form of scabby patches of corky tissue. Does not reduce yield or taste but makes tubers less attractive.
2) Very common disease found in most soils. Worse in dry conditions and on light sandy alkaline soil low in organic matter.
3) Prevention is the way to deal with scab.
* Grow resistant varieties.
* Increase organic matter through Green
Manures, Compost and Leaf Mold.
* Never lime the potato patch - keep an eye on
lime in your rotation.
* Decaying vegitation creates an acid
environment so you could fill the potato
trench with wilted comfrey or grass cuttings
before planting. This would add organic
matter and raise the PH so offer less
oportunities for scab to be active.
* Water well in dry weather
| BLACKLEG
1) Base of stem turns black and slimy and decays. Upper leaves curl inwards. Plant appears stunted and leaves decayed. Tubers rot in the ground or in storage. Worse in warm moist summers
2) Check crop regularly and dig out infected plants. Dividing seed before planting not recommended.
3) Inspect stored crops for rotting tubers and destroy. Never plant seed from an infected crop or seed that has been in contact with an infected crop.
4) Be careful when digging crop not to damage tubers from a neighbouring plant as blackleg is easily transfered. Slug damage can also be a way to transfer the disease.
5) Dig up all your potatoes as Blackleg
can overwinter on the potatoes in the soil.
Plant affected with Blackleg amongst a healthy crop
|
EELWORM
1) Infected plants will die back early, potatoes will be small and yield will be reduced.
Eelworm attacks the roots but is far too small to be seen with the naked eye. 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.
2) Can live in the soil for up to 20 years - best controls are
* Grow resistant varieties.
* Have a long rotation to prevent a build up of
the problem.
* Practice good hygiene. Only use certified
seed. If you know that one patch of land is
infected try no to transfer the soil to any
other part of the garden.
* Increase organic matter of the soil - a good
rich soil will grow a better crop even with the
prescence of eelworm.
* Early varieties may produce a reasonable
crop before an attack begins to take effect.
| SLUGS
1) Holes and channels in potatoes are the main signs, normally caused by the soil dwelling Keel slugs and the garden slug.
2) Prevention is the way forward -
* You can use bait such as Feramol or
Predators to keep control of the problem.
* Digging in winter will expose the eggs to
the birds.
* Attract wildlife to your garden, especially
hedgehogs.
* Ducks adore slugs.
* Harvest crops as soon as mature.
* Slightly damaged potatoes can still be
stored successfully.
* Slugs always go for the weakest plants so
improve your soil with organic matter to
ensure a good crop. Potatoes benefit from
liquid feed.
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