Harvesting the Spuds.

[joegrgraham]

My wife said it was overkill, I don’t think so, do you? .

Joe

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[trusty-mad]

seems reasonable to me. did it work well?

[dave]

Avery good idea

[jim-beacon]

I was thinking of doing the same with the big Auto Culto this week……

[joegrgraham]

We nearly had a catastrophe with the Raspberries at the far end!, and I had to do a few passes to get them all as it kept re-burying them, it also sliced a few, but I think they were planted a bit too deep to begin with!
Unfortunatly, I’ve lost over half the crop due to slug damage.

Joe

[pete0250]

It’s just what they were made for !! Hoping to get mine out this week, had a touch of blight so i leave the spuds in ’till all the blighted tubers have disappeared. Seems to work. I grow Sutton Foremost and they seem to be very prone to early dying off. Very tender tubers but I think they are the most flavoursome. Sure I’ll be corrected !!! :-))

[charlie]

I think the wet summer was ideal for slugs as they have eaten half my crop of potatoes. Not sure if leaving blighted spuds in ground is a good idea, I thought best treatment was early removal of foliage to prevent blight getting down to tubers. Do not put blighted material in compost heap.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Have you looked at the Video on YouTube http://youtu.be/K_9f6sX-oB8
Thanks Jack

[joegrgraham]

I’ve got wonderful Wiltshire clay (you can see how it’s packed up in the wheels) so I always have slug problems, but this year they have been a total menace!.
I grew Desiree and Rooster spuds this year, the Desiree were a total disaster, about 60% have been damaged by slugs and the rest have scab!. The Rooster have avoided the scab, and have shown better slug resistance. I’m going to try Wilja and Sante next year, as they’re supposed to be slug resistant.
I managed to avoid Blight this year, Ive always been ruthless about destroying affected tops at the first sign.

Joe.

[jim-beacon]

I grew Cara and Casablanca this year, which are supposed to be blight resistant, but they seem to have succumbed (they’re supposed to be a second early, but normally do quite well as a main crop in my soil). Slugs are always a problem on the clay soil in this part of hampshire

[vhgmcbuddy]

I’ve got wonderful Devon clay, it’s been improved over the years using dung and compost. But deeper down I still have poor drainage, Although the winter was wet the spring and summer in my area has been a good growing season. I only plant a few rows of Rocket spuds, I got one part row to dig. The last two rows have some slug damage but I’ve had worst. Around here farmers first cut was 50% up on some years, also hedgerows full of fruit and nuts. So is this nature preparing for a harder winter, we shall now more about that next spring.

[vhgmcbuddy]

The variety in the video is Charlotte and the ones with my mate looking on are Desiree both.
There are other Videos linked to the one I put the link up for, that shows Mustard being turned in, we always sowed mustard the Autumn before planting potatoes as we considered it helped to prevent wire worm and slugs. If you look at the video please let me know if it helped
Thanks Jack

[chap]

Mayfield spud lifting last year simple and effective.

[joegrgraham]

Funny you should say that Owen, I was having the same conversation the other day about the fruit and berries, I think this winter may have teeth and claws!. It cant be worse than last year, I only had to scrape the windscreen a half dozen times, and I’m in a frost-bottom.
I think the lack of a winter may well explain the slug trouble this year too.

[joegrgraham]

Some good videos there, thanks guys.
Myosotis, your ground looks a lot lighter than mine! what depth did you plant the seed at?.
I may give the mustard a try.

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