Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Jamie Butterworth on July 06, 2010, 17:06

Title: Whats eating my potatoes
Post by: Jamie Butterworth on July 06, 2010, 17:06

All the foliage on my ptatoe plants seem to have holes in them, I have noticed a few ants dotted about, could it be them. Also will it affect the crop that I get? :unsure:

Title: Re: Whats eating my potatoes
Post by: WirralWally on July 07, 2010, 01:55

Quote from: Jamie Butterworth on July 06, 2010, 17:06

. . . . .  will it affect the crop that I get?

Highly unlikely.

Unless you were thinking of eating the foliage.  :D

Title: Re: Whats eating my potatoes
Post by: chris23005 on July 07, 2010, 03:36

I have plenty of ants around my potatoes this year but no holes in the leaves so guess it probably isn't them. Don't know what to suggest though as I am a newbie at this.  ???

Title: Re: Whats eating my potatoes
Post by: Trillium on July 07, 2010, 16:20

Since the UK doesn't have potato beetles, the scourge of North America, then it would be mostly flea beetles doing the damage. You can look up ways to treat them but their damage usually isn't serious enough to affect cropping. What you need to watch for is that the potato flowers don't get eaten which is usually what triggers tuber swelling.

Title: Re: Whats eating my potatoes
Post by: Jamie Butterworth on July 07, 2010, 16:31

Thanks for the advice trullium :)