Thinking further on this … I’m puzzled as to why there were no bluebell leaves growing when the plot was prepared for planting potatoes? Late spring early summer the bluebell leaves should be apparent if there were any bulbs in the soil 😵💫
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Just getting back with some extra information for Agatha. The potato plot was dug over by my son who was unaware that there were dormant bluebell bulbs already in the ground. He apparently chopped them thoroughly and then prepared the soil for the potato planting. (At this stage he didn't know what the bulbs were , so he chopped them ) This would have released the toxins into the soil and as the potatoes grew, they absorbed the toxin from the soil, not the remaining undisturbed bluebells. Thats the only explanation I have. I agree that planting potatoes near whole bulbs would be OK but if the bulbs were mashed, then the soil could be toxic. The fact is that the potatoes became toxic. Short of doing the whole thing over again and taking toxicity tests, I would say that this is the reason. It's just interesting to know that these things do happen. Just a caution to everyone.
He apparently chopped them thoroughly and then prepared the soil for the potato planting. (At this stage he didn't know what the bulbs were , so he chopped them ) This would have released the toxins into the soil and as the potatoes grew, they absorbed the toxin from the soil... If the bulbs were mashed, then the soil could be toxic.
If it did why would you plant potatoes with manure?
This explains that if a tested batch of a harvested crop (which has grown among other plants which contain toxins) contains toxins from the other plants it’s because some of the toxic plant has been accidentally included in the harvested crop. Not because the crop has absorbed toxins from the other plants
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.