Planting After Blight

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Planting After Blight

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AnnaD

Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 2777
Location: Edinburgh

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 12 9:07 am Post subject: Planting After Blight

We have not had much luck with our potatoes this year as they ended up with blight. I dug them all up yesterday, having removed the foliage a week and a half earlier. Most were fine though rather small, but the bigger potatoes; at least one per plant was badly infected, it wasn't a pleasant job.

My question is, can I plant vegetable seeds where the blighted potatoes grew, or should I keep it bare for a while? I'm planning on growing spring cabbages, spinach and mustard greens, and am assuming it'll be fine since they're not potatoes. But I wanted to check just to be sure.

And also, I dug up the potatoes after a week and a half instead of up to three weeks for allowing the blight to die off. Are my potatoes completely doomed? I'm going to check on them frequently, but I don't have high hopes for them. And while I'm asking potato questions, we had some of the potatoes last night and they were lovely. But I did notice that the boiling water had a lot of stuff floating in it; tiny pale coloured bits. What's that all about?

Anyway, advice would be appreciated!

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 12 9:20 am Post subject:

I don't know if it is the right thing to do but my potatoes also ended up with blight. I pulled them out and almost immediately replanted in the same patch. I planted onions and garlic and they seemed to do well. The garlic did end up with rust toward the end but that was moisture related. I did still end up with good sized garlic bulbs and the onions did phenomenally well. I have now planted broad beans and leaks and cauliflower in the same patch.

As regards the potatoes, I'd par boil and freeze or make a few potato meals and freeze.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 12 9:22 am Post subject:
The commercial growers are all having a dreadful time too.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 12 9:57 am Post subject:
Potato blight only affects members of the solanum family AFAIA so if you follow with other crops there shouldn't be a problem.

AnnaD

Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 2777
Location: Edinburgh

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 12 10:06 am Post subject:
That's good to know, thanks. I hadn't thought of freezing them, that's a good idea! I take it the freezing will kill any spores?

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