Blight Warning: Sunday 18 May to Wednesday 21 May.

My Potatoes

STATUS YELLOW

Blight Warning
Weather conditions conducive to the spread of Potato blight, are expected to occur, between now and Wednesday, with the eastern half of the country most at risk. There will be some limited opportunities for spraying.

Issued:Sunday 18 May 2014 21:00

http://www.met.ie/nationalwarnings/default.asp

tagwex · Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 11:38 pm Post subject:

I'm ok then, no leaves above ground yet.
Obviously I am wrong but I thought there were never blight threats for another 2 to 3 months and earlies never needed spraying.

My Potatoes · Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:12 am Post subject:

In times past when weather was more seasonal, i.e., sunny summers and wet winters, blight only struck in July and August.
Alas, in these days of climate change (wet summers 2007-1012 inclusive, winter 2013 not starting 'til mid-December) blight tends to strike whenever it wants. May is not early and there have been conditions conductive to the spread of blight in April.

tagwex · Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 8:25 am Post subject:

Note to self. Buy blight spray. Dam expense and work that I wasn't planning on for a while yet.

My Potatoes · Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:03 pm Post subject:

Well, it's only a low level warning. I'm not going to bother spraying for this one. There's little closeness in the garden so I'm in the clear I'd say.

Lius · Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 7:06 pm Post subject:

My first earlies are beginning to flower, they are Colleen's which have some blight resistance so I'm not going to spray. If I spot ant blight on the haulms I will cut the foliage off and lift the tubers.

My maincrop are above ground now also and they are Sarpo Axonia which have good blight resistance so I will not spray them either.

Fingers crossed Smile

tagwex · Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 8:07 pm Post subject:

For what it will cost you is it really worth taking a chance after putting in the time and effort to get this far?

My Potatoes · Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 8:31 pm Post subject:

My Potatoes · Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 8:32 pm Post subject:

This blight warning is no longer effective.

Lius · Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 4:12 pm Post subject:

It's not that I'm lazy, I don't see the point in growing your own if you are going to put chemicals on them like the supermarket vegetables.

I have not used chemical fertilizer, sprayed potatoes, etc. since I started my raised beds in 2011 and I have had no problems (other than bolting) and that's with very the compact spacing as per square foot method. Yields per plant are lower but the overall yield per m2 of ground is higher than traditional methods. Because everything is so close the veg plants crowd out the weeds too.

My Potatoes · Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 7:23 pm Post subject:

tagwex · Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 10:09 pm Post subject:

You might have to change your philophosy Lius when you move to Portrane. There comes a point when you cannot lose a certain quantity. Small amounts yes but when you are growing enough to keep you and yours for the year you wont be taking any chances.
Did you see my PM a few days back?

Lius · Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 10:11 am Post subject:

@tagwex I checked my messages and there is nothing.

I plan to stay organic all the way in Portrane. I get cheap chemical laden veg in ALID already.

tagwex · Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 4:52 pm Post subject:

If you have a large amount of spuds at some point you will have to spray for blight or else it will be famine times again!!!

Lius · Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 6:34 pm Post subject:

I do plan to have a large amount of spuds at some time and NOT have to spray for blight, that's the point of planting blight resistant spuds like Sarpo's. I'm working my way up to bigger and bigger plantings without spraying and so far I have had no blight issues.

You seem to be obsessed with chemicals tagwex, flora and fauna have survived in the wild for millennium without any intervention from man whatsoever. We just need to find varieties or selectively grow disease resistant varieties and ditch the chemicals. Chemicals are what is causing all the cancer in humans.