Talk blight control with gardeners
Talk blight control with gardeners
IF you have potato crops that neighbour vegetable gardens or allotments ask the gardeners what they are doing to control potato blight, says BPCs Rob Clayton.
"Why not go and talk to these people if you are worried about blight. Offer to help in what they are doing," he says.
Pointing out some simple hygiene measures, such as preventing regrowth of discarded tubers in hedges or compost heaps, and suggesting the use of blight resistant varieties will help reduce the risk.
"Make them aware of the resistance available. For the gardener it is a safer option."
HDRAs Pauline Pears points out that a much wider range of varieties are now available in garden centres and specialist catalogues such as www.organiccatalog.com
"You could even offer them some seed if you have some of a suitable variety on farm," adds Dr Clayton. *