Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Cate on July 20, 2009, 16:31
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Hello folks,
Please excuse me if I've posted in the wrong place or if this is a silly question!
I've just lifted my early potatoes and noticed a few of them had tiny white dots on them, which seemed to rub off. There was also a mass of sogginess under one of the plants which I'm presuming was a rotten potato. Firstly I googled the problem and found a site which said this was often caused by very heavy rain and if caught early enough the potatoes would be fine - brilliant I thought (we had torrential rain last week in Newcastle). However, I then checked in my trusty Joy Larkcom book "How to grow vegetables" and I'm concerned it could be the more serious "Potato cyst eelworm" as she mentioned white pinhead cysts on the surface as an indicator.
If it was just caused by the rain will my maincrop potatoes be ok? Should I lift them early in case they all rot? Are the potatoes with the white spots ok to eat?
I've only had my half plot since April and I'm a complete novice so any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers
Cate
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If your plants are growing well, I wouldn't think it's eel worm. I've seen these pin pricks on my spuds sometimes & they were fine. The rotten spud was probably the original seed potato.
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Welcome to the site Cate :D
I agree with GG above - I have white spots on some of my spuds, doesn't seem to be a problem. And the seed potato is indeed really horrible and mushy.
If you find bits eaten out of your potatoes, or lots and lots of them rotting off then do post piccies, but I'd hope you won't find this.
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Eel worm cysts are lemon shaped and may be white or light brown. They are attached to the fine roots not the potato tubers. I am sure your spots are not them.