Kitchen Garden Forum

I've just lifted the most slug-eaten potato harvest of my allotmenting career to date, despite growing a variety that claims to have some slug resistance (Pentland Squire or Pentland Crown - I don't remember which).
Do you think this is down to the persistantly wet weather we've had this summer, or could this be my own fault for putting too much manure into the ground back in spring?
I'd be intested to know what you all think, based on your own experience.

I think it is just a bad year for slugs. The potatoes I've lifted in the garden so far have been almost slug free, but I watered the whole area with Nemasys before planting them. I also used lots of well rotted manure in the planting trenches and they are really good. I put a sprinkle of slug pellets in the trench too before I cover them up in the hope of killing a few keel slugs if the Nemasys doesn't get them.

The ones we lifted on the allotment have much more damage and we didn't use anything there apart from manure.


I've got three rows of late crop to lift so don't know how they've done. I know they say the Nemasys only works for a few weeks and you should re-apply it, but I don't think it is worth spending so much on two applications. I also got it half price at the Harrogate spring show, so it cost about £10 to do the whole vegetable plot.

Dear Caz, the Lady Balfour potatoes on our allotments have suffered badly this year from slug damage.

The well rotted manure may have made the problem a touch worse, but i really do think it has just been a very bad year for slugs.

Our earlies were really clean and almost completely slug free, but the later potatoes (including particularly Lady Balfour, OH!) are badly slug eaten and will have to be prepared and cooked with great care. We have not yet tried the Sarpo Mira but I don't suppose they will have been spared.

I think it's just the damp year this year which has encouraged the little beasties, Caz.

Thanks for your replies, folks. It's kind of reassuring to think that the rain is probably the main culprit, rather than my own fault for using too much manure. In the past I've had virtually no slug damage at all when I've lifted potatoes in August, but this is the wettest summer I've known - apart from last year, but then I had already lifted them mid-July because of blight!
Sounds like Plumpudding might have the answer in using Nemasys- I will have to think about doing that next year.
On the other hand, it would be interesting to know which maincrop varieties show up as the least slug-damaged this season without the aid of Nemasys and the like.

Dear caz, i had seven long rows of Lady Balfour,and i have lost half of them to slugs.

My plot doesn't suffer too much from the underground slugs but the rain has been such that those potatoes not harvested before it really set in in August were/are starting to rot. Because of the potential damage that slugs can cause I always go for early main crops and this year I have grown Salad Blue, Maris Piper and Rooster. Both Salad Blue and Maris Piper have suffered from rotting, but Rooster, which really is an early main crop, came out the cleanest and least damaged that I have ever seen. They came with a high recommendation from Alan Romans - they were a substitute for Shannon which I had ordered. If they perform in the kitchen anywhere near what they have in the ground then they will become my favourite.

Colin
When you've had a chance to test their cooking qualities, please let us know how Rooster perform in the kitchen, as I am very tempted to try growing them next year!

First earlies Swift and International Kidney had no problems with any pest or disease.

2nd Early Cara were not affected by slugs hardly at all but were eaten by worm 40 percent of spuds had worm damage. With the Sarpo about 20 percent had small worm holes and no slug damage. More importantly the sarpo were not troubled by blight despite complete decimation of all other spuds and tomatoes on the plot. They had tiny spots of blight on a few leaves but otherwise totally clean and still flowering and still growing in size!!

Hi Caz

Have just lifted my Rooster potatoes, very clean, no slug or blight or other damage this year.
They are only suitable for roasting, making chips or as buttered potatoes.
If boiled, they go into mush before your eyes, entirely useless for boiling.
I only grow one short row each season, as I get more than I need.
I grew Shannon year before last, terrible taste, shape, colour never again!

Cheers

Thanks, Lurganspade.
Just to complete the picture, what are they liked as baked potatoes?

Hi

You have got me there!
My wife always looks out for large white ones (Dunluce or Sante) for some reason.

She does the cooking, so it's easier to let her make the choice.

Cheers

Hi all.
I now only grow Roosters as my main crop, have been for 5 years. I find ( and her indoors will agree as she cooks them) that they are one of the best allround potatoes going. As a baker the skin is a little tougher than most others but not impossible to chew. They make great mash and beautiful chips.
Got another good crop this year very little slug damage despite plenty of farm manure. did get blighted eventually even after spraying but even the local farmers are getting it despite spraying.
Arthur E

Thanks, everyone.
That's it then - Rooster potatoes it is to be, next year!

I always plant Desiree as they seem to be slug free.
When making the trench I lay shredded paper/newspaper in the bottom and I thing the slimmys don't like ink, with a shaking of growmore to help. The keep us going through to March, so are good storer in the garage. and I then store some for planting again next March 17th St. Paddys day.

Charles