[compostqueen]

Can I just say before you buy anything, that last year I grew three varieties of spuds side by side on my plot. The Desirees were scabbed all over but the Winstons were scab free as were the Arran Pilots, which leads me to deduce that by selecting scab-resistant varieties you can save yourself the expense and labour of applying fertilisers

I really rated the Winstons, large clean tubers and very tasty 

[Salmo]

RHS gives good information

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

Also the Potato Council lists varieties and rates them for resistance. Using advanced search will list varieties by different characteristics and disease resistance. Common scab is what you have.

varieties.potato.org.uk

Personally I think your soil has been messed about enough and adding chemicals for a quick fix may make matters worse. Remember that there are other crops in the rotation.

Plenty of muck or other organic material. According to the RHS, dry conditions when the tubers are first forming is what you need to avoid.

[DD.]

RHS gives good information

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

I thought I said that in the first reply to the original post! 

[mumofstig]

dry conditions when the tubers are first forming is what you need to avoid.

very difficult, last year, for us in the South, as I said in my earlier post 

[bazh]

If you find the PH is to akaline when you test then plenty of muck (If you have access to it) as already suggested CQ, either over the whole bed to try and get the PH more acceptable or just when prepping the potato trench, might be  worth a try rather than shelling out on expensive chemicals.

[gobs]

"Repetitio est mater studiorum."

[gobs]

Can I just say before you buy anything, that last year I grew three varieties of spuds side by side on my plot. The Desirees were scabbed all over but the Winstons were scab free as were the Arran Pilots, which leads me to deduce that by selecting scab-resistant varieties you can save yourself the expense and labour of applying fertilisers

I really rated the Winstons, large clean tubers and very tasty 

x2

Also, Sante and charlotte seem to be reluctant to get scab, I think lady Balfour, too. And they are all very good potatoes in my view.

[compostqueen]

I've grown Sante before but not Lady Balfour. Hmmm another one to try methinks   Ta for the tip