[ex-cavator]

 Just dug most of the remaining spuds from my lotty - equal amounts of Maris Piper & Desiree - apart from the yield being very poor due to, I think, them going in too late - most didn't go in until the last week of April, I've lost almost half to slugs. From four 16ft rows I only got 36kg in total, with 17kg being slug damaged. Did I leave them in the ground too long, as until 2 or 3 weeks or so ago, all the ones I dug were fine? Don't want to make the same mistakes next year 

[sunshineband]

If they were the same variety, then yes, I would say it was down to staying in the ground so they could be attacked by slugs.

If they were different types, then that might be the reason... some seem more attractive to slugs than others 

[Kell]

My spuds were a disappoinment too.  just dug out the maincrop (Maris Piper and Desiree) and chucked half them straight in the bin.  Slug damage was not too bad, but they were riddled with wireworm holes and scabby.
Not sure how to cure wireworm, but I,ve been told/read that cultivation will eventually reduce the population.  With that in mind i've started digging over next year's spud plot, and may do it again during the winter if the weather permits.
As far as scab is concerned i've been told that it is due to the soil having too much lime, and also not having enough lime!     What seems strange is that one plant would be scab free and the one next to it could be covered with scab.
Confusion reigns.

[DD.]

Alkaline soil can be a cause, therefore too much lime will not help.

Dry weather when the tubers are forming are a cause and the weather we've had this year will also not have helped.

The RHS take on it:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?PID=230

[gavinjconway]

I found this on a potato site about wireworm....

WIREWORM - Cut potatoes in half and cut out the eyes (so they do not sprout when you place them in the soil). Poke a stick into each to serve as a handle. Bury the pieces of potato in the soil in early spring, before you have planted anything. Use a potato trap for every square yard of soil, burying it 4 to 6 inches deep. Wireworms will be attracted to these potato traps. Check the traps every day and destroy the wireworms by dropping them into a solution of soapy water. Be sure to replace the potatoes with new ones when they begin to rot.  Try companion planting with marigolds, wireworms hate them. French dwarf or african.

[New shoot]

Sunshineband used the potato chunks on sticks method to clear her plot of wireworm (and made best friends with the chickens on her site into the bargain as they got the wireworms to eat )

[bigben]

Good idea gavin - I might nick that idea!

[gavinjconway]

Not knowing what my new lottie has underground I'm going to do it and feed the chooks in the next door plot..