Something eating at our potatoes?

2 Wheels Good

Hi, digging some potatoes last night and have come across a few like this. Any idea is it something eating the potatoes or is it something else?
Are they safe to use? Thanks

damienirel

Wireworm

2 Wheels Good

damienirel wrote: »

Wireworm

Ok, a quick look on google advises to harvest asap? Any other advice would be great-fully received.

mattser

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

Hi, digging some potatoes last night and have come across a few like this. Any idea is it something eating the potatoes or is it something else?
Are they safe to use? Thanks

I'm not so sure I'd like the one in the picture with my bacon & cabbage.:eek:

Budawanny

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

Ok, a quick look on google advises to harvest asap? Any other advice would be great-fully received.

Wireworm alright. Leave that fallow of spuds for a couple of years. its important to leav e it fallow. Wireworm arrive when the soil is tired. I'd suggest overwintering field beans to act as a nitrogen fixer and then sow onions instead next year.

Maidhci

It is slug damage. Not the overground common type slug that attacks lettuces etc. but a smaller type slug that lives underground, hence the damage to the crop. You will probably have noticed that earlier potato varieties, such as Duke of York and British Queens etc. weren't affected as these would normally have been dug up before the slugs attack, which is normally during late July onwards. To answer your second question, where damage is so extensive as can be seen from the photograph, there is virtually nothing to use! Where there is minimal damage, such as one or two or if a good section of the potatoe is salvagable, I tend to use them cutting off the damaged parts etc. As a matter of interest, are you new to vegetable growing and if not, have you encountered this problem in previous years?

Budawanny

actually ya maidhci is right. its slug damage. wireworm doesnt look like that.
same cause and response though id say.

damienirel

I've planted only a few potatoes this year in new ground and I researched it apparently it's in the soil in my area.
As far as I know - yes you would be better off digging the whole lot now.

Here's the official guidelines on it.
http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2004/20040226/paper1.asp


I don't think that it's anything to do with the ground being "tired" it's usually a worm that's found in land that was long-term grassland. Also I've a hunch it's more widespread in good alkaline land, you would never get them in acidic boggier land.
They advise to get rid of the grass for 3/4 years and it usually gets rid of them.

Budawanny

damienirel wrote: »

I've planted only a few potatoes this year in new ground and I researched it apparently it's in the soil in my area.
As far as I know - yes you would be better off digging the whole lot now.

Here's the official guidelines on it.
http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2004/20040226/paper1.asp


I don't think that it's anything to do with the ground being "tired" it's usually a worm that's found in land that was long-term grassland. Also I've a hunch it's more widespread in good alkaline land, you would never get them in acidic boggier land.
They advise to get rid of the grass for 3/4 years and it usually gets rid of them.

Fair enough. however I had this slug damage from over using the same plot one time.
left it fallow and rotated properly and it went away.

damienirel

Yeah actually looking at that picture again, it's slightly different looking damage to wireworm alright.
Looks like Maidhci could be right.
The holes in the tuber are usually a lot cleaner and sharper with wireworm.

2 Wheels Good

Maidhci wrote: »

It is slug damage. Not the overground common type slug that attacks lettuces etc. but a smaller type slug that lives underground, hence the damage to the crop. You will probably have noticed that earlier potato varieties, such as Duke of York and British Queens etc. weren't affected as these would normally have been dug up before the slugs attack, which is normally during late July onwards. To answer your second question, where damage is so extensive as can be seen from the photograph, there is virtually nothing to use! Where there is minimal damage, such as one or two or if a good section of the potatoe is salvagable, I tend to use them cutting off the damaged parts etc. As a matter of interest, are you new to vegetable growing and if not, have you encountered this problem in previous years?

It's a garden we've grown potatoes on over the years on and off. I've taken it over this year due to family illness, I used to help out but it's all on me now. Speaking with family it may have been there before so not as bad so we probably do need to leave it fallow for a year.

Budawanny

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

It's a garden we've grown potatoes on over the years on and off. I've taken it over this year due to family illness, I used to help out but it's all on me now. Speaking with family it may have been there before so not as bad so we probably do need to leave it fallow for a year.

Fair enough. I was told in the past that too fresh manure may not help either.
i have no idea how true that is though..

2 Wheels Good

Budawanny wrote: »

Fair enough. I was told in the past that too fresh manure may not help either.
i have no idea how true that is though..

Ok, it didn't get any of that this year.