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Potatoes disease

coralie.zanoncoralie.zanon Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Hello,
I grew potatoes in a bag and when I harvested them they were all covered in these big warts. 
What kind of disease it it? Scabs or warts?
Also, are they safe to eat?
Thank you for your help!
«1

Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Can anyone help @Coralie Zanon with the potato scab.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Looks like potato 'common scab'.  This can even come with seed potatoes which are by law allowed a small amount of infection but the tubers are still edible if you cut the scabs off.  There are a few cultural issues which can make it much worse, the two main ones being the soil drying out while the tubers are forming, and alkaline soil.  Commercial multi-purpose composts often contain lime (some more than others) and this may be the case here.  I would try a different brand of compost next year or mix 75% garden soil or bagged topsoil with 25% bagged manure.  I would also change your seed potato supplier.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    That looks like potato scab ... usually caused by drought when the tubers are forming. 

    They’re ok to eat ... just peel them well. 

    Did you buy a named variety of seed potatoes? Some are resistant to scab. 
    Or did you use saved potatoes from a previous year or from a shop?  

    Info and advice here 
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=230

    Hope that helps 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    Dovefromabove said:
    That looks like potato scab ... usually caused by drought when the tubers are forming. 

    They’re ok to eat ... just peel them well. 

    Did you buy a named variety of seed potatoes? Some are resistant to scab. 
    Or did you use saved potatoes from a previous year or from a shop?  

    Info and advice here 
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=230

    Hope that helps 😊 
    Your a good person dove 😊
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Which varieties does your brother grow @Dovefromabove? 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • coralie.zanoncoralie.zanon Posts: 2
    Thank you all for your help!
    I had never seen that before and when I look at the potato scabs pictures online it seemed more brown. I left them on the side waiting for your replies and the scabs seemed to dry out.

    I bought the seeds from Lidl. They were a specific variety but so forgot the name. The compost was a general one from BnQ. I used it for the potatoes last year and none had scabs.
     
    I’m going to buy the seeds from the garden centre next time and change the compost. 

    Thank you all again! I feel reassured I can eat them!
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Pleased you got some answers Coralie, it’s what we do, if someone’s post has slipped over to the next page, we ‘bump’ it up for them. 🙂


    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited October 2019
    Lyn’s post was the first reply a day after the thread was started. That was bumping it up ... she was not sticking her oar in. She was being helpful. 👍 
    If only we could say the same about all posts on this thread. It’s such a shame when new member’s threads are hijacked by individuals for personal vendettas. ☹️
    Hopefully the OP realises that this is, in the main, a friendly forum 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Oh dear Dove, you mustn’t feed the troll, nothing they like more is to cause agro.
    nothing they hate more is to be ignored. Take no notice, he’s just a kid, younger than my two, seen it all before. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    More of an explanation and apology to the OP for the bad manners @lyn 😉 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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