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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Late Blight and Potatoes
  • Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:07:23 -0400


On Sep 20, 2009, at 3:38 PM, Pam Twin Oaks wrote:

We had Late Blight on potatoes one year when I farmed in England. We
followed advice of the time, mowed off the tops, carted them and
burned them in a horribly smokey bonfire. (You don't have to do that
bit, dispose of them thoroughly though). Then we waited two weeks,
then dug up the tubers. They were fine to eat. The point is that by
waiting, the blight does not spread to the tubers.

To clarify, though I think you meant this: late blight can indeed spread to potato tubers and make them rot in a very nasty fashion. If the tops are mowed in time, before the infection can move from the tops into the tubers, the tubers may be all right. If the tubers are infected, I think they'll also rot during the two week period, saving you the hassle of bringing them into storage and then hauling them out again when the rot becomes apparent.

I would hold them for a while after harvest before selling them, just to be sure.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



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