[Mags]

This is the end of our first year on the allotment and we have been amazed by what we have managed to grow on what was 5ft high dock leaves.  We had good looking and good sized maincrop potatoes but nearly every one was full of small round tunnels.  No culprit in sight.  How can we stop this for next year without chemicals?

[milkman]

Not sure if you'll be able to stop this for next year, but if you work out a crop rotation and make sure you move your potatoes to a different location every year, over time you may be able to reduce the effects.

Also check what varieties of potato you are growing - go for the ones with the longest list of stated pest and disease resistance!

And maybe go for an early maincrop variety which can be dug late August, early September.

Hope this helps and glad that you've got away to such a good start.

ps. your potatoes should still be cookable - just cut out the holely bits!

[Heather_S]

That's slug damage. I've found the waxy salad/boiling potatoes seem more resistant to slug damage. The Nicola variety is lovely as boiled spuds with the skins left on, they hardly have any dirt on them when you fork them out of the ground and they're pretty heavy cropping with good slug resistance.

[Stevens706]

Hi Mags

This was my first year and some of my potatoes had small round holes, I found out that they were being caused by the roots of the couch grass that was still around, hopefully as I get rid of the grass the problem will go away.

[DD.]

You say that the tunnels are small, so it could also possibly be wireworm. Again the same advice applies, go for a spud with a long list of pest resistance.

For most of my main crop, I grow Sarpo Mira. Now, these seed spuds are quite expensive, but they have a good pest resistant skin, are heavy croppers and have the added advantage of being highly blight resistant. (I'm not saying that is did not get any holes, but nowhere near as many as in the Desiree).

The crop I grew this year cost me nothing, as I'd saved my own seed spuds, and they've done just as well. (Yes, I'm wary about passing down diseases etc. before you all start jumping up & down!!).

[DD.]

Hi Mags

This was my first year and some of my potatoes had small round holes, I found out that they were being caused by the roots of the couch grass that was still around, hopefully as I get rid of the grass the problem will go away.

Must admit I've never heard this one before. I can understand that the hard roots might cause depressions in the skin of the spuds, but not to actually grow into them!

[Zak the Rabbit]

Sounds like wireworm to me. I didnt have that problem, i had scab instead.

The advise on rotation is sound. If you have enough space, use a four course system (you may find from other threads i am a loud advocate of four course, stems from my school history lessons, its the only thing i remembered in the exam). Its actually quite easy in a long narrow plot, divide it into 4, a potato crop, roots, and brassicas, and the final one either fallow with a green manure growing or legumes, ie peas and beans, to replenish the lost nitrate. Then the next year, move everything down one space, and rotate the one on the end to the other end! Most desieses should be exhausted within the 4 year gap between that type of crop coming around again.


Martin

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Mags

This was my first year and some of my potatoes had small round holes, I found out that they were being caused by the roots of the couch grass that was still around, hopefully as I get rid of the grass the problem will go away.

Must admit I've never heard this one before. I can understand that the hard roots might cause depressions in the skin of the spuds, but not to actually grow into them!

Look in the allotment photo's Dave, there is a potato there with couch growing through it!!!

[Jake]

Hi Mags

This was my first year and some of my potatoes had small round holes, I found out that they were being caused by the roots of the couch grass that was still around, hopefully as I get rid of the grass the problem will go away.

Must admit I've never heard this one before. I can understand that the hard roots might cause depressions in the skin of the spuds, but not to actually grow into them!

Look in the allotment photo's Dave, there is a potato there with couch growing through it!!!

I know its off topic but hey, your quotes have gone white grannieannie.

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh I know Jake, I was so pleased and meant to put an off topic post on, but have been a bit busy, isn't it exciting?  I've got white quotes!!!!!  LOL