how do i store new potatoes / plant blighted

pwgun · « **on:** June 13, 2008, 10:16 »

I have just discovered that my 'home guard' earlies have got the signs of blight.

(yellowing plant brown bloched leaves)

I will be digging them up this weekend in a bid to save my other varieties.

As i will have a glut of new potatoes, what is the best way of storing/preserving them, so i dont have a load of soft spuds in a couple of weeks?

thanks

gobs · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2008, 10:19 »

Lose blighted foliage first, cut off and burn or kill with vinegar spray.

Wait 2 weeks till digging up. Store as for main crop.

pwgun · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2008, 10:29 »

Hi thanks for advise,

some plant are brown to the soil level,
What is the reason for waiting two weeks?

thanks

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2008, 10:29 »

Quote from: "gobs"

Wait 2 weeks till digging up.

This is essential :!:

The spores from potato blight will have fallen onto the soil. You need to leave that period of time for the spores to die so that when you lift the potatoes the spores will not contaminate them and rot them in store :!: :!: :!:

pwgun · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2008, 10:50 »

thanks,

would never have guessed that.
(i suppose washing them would not be sure enough?)

Is vinegar spray exactly what it sounds like or is it a name given to a bought spray?

thanks

amberleaf · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2008, 17:14 »

I'd make tons of mashed potatoes and stick them in the freezer in little plastic tubs ready to microwave, later on.

I would also make shepherds pies and fish pies (mash topping). Croquettes, a meat and potato pie or two & Vegetable bakes.

Part cooked roast spuds and chips will freeze too.

Loads of recipes using spuds freeze, just need room in the freezer.

Those I could not freeze I would eat first.

gobs · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2008, 20:12 »

Quote from: "pwgun"

thanks,

would never have guessed that.
(i suppose washing them would not be sure enough?)

Is vinegar spray exactly what it sounds like or is it a name given to a bought spray?

thanks

It is what it sounds. First time I'm going to try it this year, don't know if it's available as an organic garden product, but plenty recipes on the web, some say pickling vinegar and works better if soap is added, others it needs be 10% strength to work - which I happen to have. It is good for this as it's not a poison but a defoliator apparently.

amberleaf · « **Reply #7 on:** June 13, 2008, 22:17 »

Vinegar Malt-not-Balsamic or wine or anything else fancy. Cheap bog standard chip shop vinegar. Is an acid which can be used to kill foliage.

It is not a long term effective treatment but will get rid of those nasty little things that pop up along the path and appear in cracks between flagstones.

It will also soak out a lot of oil stains on laundry and cleans glass, ceramics & stainless steel (for bad stains, mix with bicarbonate of soda).

It will bring a shine to all your mirrors, windows and your hair if you have any.

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2008, 23:44 »

If you do store them, keep checking them over every few days as when mine got blght last year, I stored the potatoes that looked okay, but still lost about one third while they were in store! and my foliage wasn't brown right down to the ground either!

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