Sunday was a cool cloudy day and it didn't tempt us to visit the plot. I decided to sort out and bag up the Winston potatoes, I'd lifted on Saturday, for winter storage
The potatoes had been left to dry off on Sunday morning and the first job was to remove any potatoes with pest damage. As the crop included lots of large potatoes I decided that any with just a small amount of damage I'd put to one side, a sort of pile of Winston seconds, bag all the undamaged ones and get rid of the rest into the recycling bin.
I soon began to realise that there was far more pest damage than I'd originally thought when I lifted them. There were a few large undamaged potatoes but most had a hole or holes like the ones in the photo above. The photo above shows the potatoes destined for the recycling bin. I finished up with around 15kg (33lb) of what I considered usable or slightly damaged potatoes out of the 25kg (55lb) of Winston I'd lifted on Saturday.
I'd decided to use a couple of Winston seconds for dinner on Sunday evening as a sort of test to see how much damage there was to my hefty bag of slightly spoiled spuds. I wasn't at all pleased with what I found.
I wasn't expecting to find anything alive in the potato as I cut into it to examine the damage. A couple of these centipedes emerged from the holes in the potato. That was enough for me and I decided all the Winstons with any holes in them were going in the recycling bin. I don't mind cutting a bit of damaged potato out but I draw the line at removing live creatures especially as we have plenty of undamaged potatoes already stored in the garage.
Sue tells me that the centipedes I discovered in the potato didn't actually cause the damage, they're claiming squatters rights on holes made by slugs or wire worms. They're actually a gardener’s friend but not mine when they're in a potato I'm preparing for dinner.
Did I mention Winston potatoes are off the growing list for next year!
Posts
When I attempt peeling potatoes I usually end up with more peelings than potato my excuse is because im left handed, whatever I have been banned from that chore.
ReplyDeleteNot sure I'd get away with that excuse! You need a left handed potato peeler.
Deletesshh i've told her they don't exist!
DeleteSomething tells me Winston is off your list - Time for Epicure?
ReplyDeleteI had one badly attacked/diseased row which I feared were my Ballydoon which I got "on the net". On consideration (looking at the other nearby rows) I realised it was in fact the row of Charlotte, from a reputable supplier, that had gone off. A nasty surprise, but at least I can keep back some Ballydoon for next year if I fail to find a certified seed supplier offering them. I have some trepidation now about my main crop (Rooster). I'm biting my fingers...
I'll be interested to know how you get on with Rooster. I grew five roots of Rooster next to five roots of Isle of Jura in our trial bed. Rooster were really good with virtually no damage. Isle of jura were a complete waste and were very badly eaten by slugs.
DeleteCan't decide whether damage is purely down to variety or whether some varieties act as a sacrificial crop.
In our trial five tubers of Saxon Rooster and Isle of Jura were planted in a row. As I said Rooster was excellent whereas the other two were badly damaged.
Good fun growing spuds isn't it!
Hope next year potatoes season will be better without slugs and centipedes!
ReplyDeleteI don't think we get any years without slugs and snails. Some years are just worse then others.
DeleteBetter luck next time. It had been a few years since I've attempted growing potatoes, had a bag of shop bought and when they sprouted decided to plant them out and we had a lovely crop of healthy potatoes. Take care...
ReplyDeleteSome of our potato varieties produced some excellent crops this year. Should have enough spuds to see us through winter.
Delete