Kitchen Garden Forum

Hello out there. I would appreciate comments on the following tale please.
We grew Desiree and Rocket last year and had good yields from both. However, the desirees held a surprise. When we dug them up, we had a few with the usual slug damage but the majority were good sound spuds-so we thought! On cutting some open I found a small cavity containing upto 5 woodlice. There were no holes or tunnels and nothing to indicate there was wildlife hiding out inside! Consequently I haven't dared use any of them for jacket spuds!!! The rockets were unaffected obviously because they were not in the ground as long. My husband reckons it's something to do with using spent mushroom compost instead of the usual good muck as it hasn't happened previous seasons. It would seem mummy woodlouse thought "woohoo! nice des res" and laid her eggs. I don't mind creepy crawly critters but I have no desire to do an impromptu Bush Tucker Trial ta very much!
Regards

Hi Elaine

Were the critters dead or alive? Yuk!

Ello Chantal. oh yes the critters were most definately alive! Didn't stay that way for long tho

How did they breathe? I can see there would be plenty to eat, but with no exit, surely they should have suffocated?

Beats me Chuck. I can't work it out either but I mean to find out as my curiosity is killing me. Beautiful cat by the way. xx

Dear Elaine, i think if you were to peel the potato that contained the woodlice you would have found a punture wound of some sort.

I don't think you are likely to have many more like that, but if you did bake one containing woodlice you could always say it was a new type of filling you were trying out.

Dear OH, hello again. I did peel them, then cut them prior to cooking. I had at least 20 which were affected. Some small tubers and some large. If there was apuncture mark I couldn't see it - even with a magnifyer! It stands to reason that there must be an entrance hole - I don't reckon they were "beamed" in! xx

Dear Elaine, well it totally beats me, i think i would be tempted to give the potatoes to someone you don't like.

And i don't mean me either.

Hello again OH. OOO I don't think I could do that to anyone--hmm --I've just thought of someone.
NO not you! xx