What's the matter with my potatoes?

[Gardening with Rabbits]

Nothing is wrong out in the garden or around the garden other than the potatoes.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

This article explains what might have happened. I am worried about straw more than the manure. I had straw that was not composted, but had rabbit manure it it. I decided to pile it in the garden, and it was in this area where the potatoes are. I let it sit until spring and then raked it off and put it in the compost bin. That compost is cooking down and not used yet. We tilled the ground and planted potatoes. We did use some older compost in the rows of potatoes when we planted. The tomatoes and peppers on the other side of the garden planted in the manure will tell me if the whole garden is messed up. https://www.bbbseed.com/straw-in-the-garden-be-careful/

 

[Collector]

This article explains what might have happened. I am worried about straw more than the manure. I had straw that was not composted, but had rabbit manure it it. I decided to pile it in the garden, and it was in this area where the potatoes are. I let it sit until spring and then raked it off and put it in the compost bin. That compost is cooking down and not used yet. We tilled the ground and planted potatoes. We did use some older compost in the rows of potatoes when we planted. The tomatoes and peppers on the other side of the garden planted in the manure will tell me if the whole garden is messed up. https://www.bbbseed.com/straw-in-the-garden-be-careful/

Scary to think about really.

 

[thistlebloom]

Here is a caveat about getting advice from an extension office. They are not all the same, but the ones in my (and Rabbits) area are manned by volunteer Master Gardeners that field questions from people who walk in.

And here's what my experience as a MG has taught me about this - those folks are not necessarily experts.
Many are beginner gardeners who take the MG course and part of your certification requires you to work in the office.
So, when a gardener comes in with a plant question, the MG is usually doing what most of us do. We go to the internet, or to a reference book and see if we can find an answer. Same thing there. Although there is often an experienced extension employee there to assist if they need help.

I'm not bashing the extension service, I'm just saying to use caution in taking their verdict as final.


As a side note I'll add that though most of the instruction in the MG course was by qualified professionals, not all of it was. There were some that were teaching their opinions.

I was told by one of the course takers during one of our breaks that I "knew too much" and shouldn't be taking the course. I was floored, as I thought that the MG certification meant you had reached a certain level of skill and knowledge previous to enrolling and that you were then going on to educate yourself to a greater depth.
Not so in my class. The MG certification lost a lot of it's appeal and respect to me.

 

[thistlebloom]

Another thing that I find curious in your case Rabbits, is the uneven affect across your garden. In my unqualified opinion I would expect to see damage on everything if it were indeed herbicide residue.

 

[catjac1975]

So you think you got herbicide damage form the straw from your rabbits? I think the rabbits would be dead if there was so much latent herbicide on the straw that it hurt your potatoes. Of course I am no expert. You can use an organic pesticide on the potatoes to get rid of the bugs that you saw. There are manny good ones.Potatoes can with stand quite a bit of foliage damage and still produce. Digging them all up seems extreme to me. All organic crops will have some pests. It is a balance of some for them and some for you.

 

[ninnymary]

Thistle, touched on a question I was going to ask. Did the diagnosis come from a visual inspection or did it actually get tested for pesticides?

Mary

 

[seedcorn]

@thistlebloom Thanks. Excellently said. If I said it, it would be looked as trying to defend Chem companies.

Extension agents are taught more to be 4H leaders and how to deal with people than production.

As far as Master Gardener, anyone that thinks you become a master gardener by taking some classes, get a clue. Best way to learn is tomapprentice with someone who is successful in that career-regardless if a degree, title, etc.....

 

[Beekissed]

I was told by one of the course takers during one of our breaks that I "knew too much" and shouldn't be taking the course. I was floored, as I thought that the MG certification meant you had reached a certain level of skill and knowledge previous to enrolling and that you were then going on to educate yourself to a greater depth.
Not so in my class. The MG certification lost a lot of it's appeal and respect to me.

I find that to be the case in many of these "master" classes given at community colleges or extension services, like the Master canning class. For some reason, a person feels like they are a master canner if they've taken the course, even if they've never canned a single thing into a jar in their lives. Then they expound at length their instructor's opinions~likely opinions passed on from THEIR instructor and on down the line~as if it were the last word in canning.

I imagine it's much the same in the Master Gardener's program. I've found that most garden wisdom is garnered over years of experience alone and that none of those old gardeners would ever tout themselves as a "master" at gardening, no matter what they had learned over the years. I always shy away from folks who say they are experts or masters at anything, as it usually has no meaning any longer in this present age.

 

[ninnymary]

I know Master Gardeners who don't even garden. They live in condos and at the most have 1 tomatoe plant.

I'm not a Master Gardener but people ask me if I am. The Sunset editor thought I was one! I was embarrassed that she thought I was, haha.

Mary