Rusty taters

[randyt]

My taters this year are afflicted with rust. The alaska gold are far worst than the red russet. I rotate planting areas. My garden area is mulched, no till area. I eat the potatoes but would rather not have it.

Anythoughts on how to deal with potato rust?

 

[Bacpacker]

Never even heard of it

 

[randyt]

Never even heard of it

Maybe it is called scab other places

 

[randyt]

Here is a photo from web

⁹

 

[Cabin Fever]

Potatoes grown in low soil pH (more acidic) are less prone to be infected by scab. Do you know your soil pH?

 

[randyt]

Potatoes grown in low soil pH (more acidic) are less prone to be infected by scab. Do you know your soil pH?

I dont

 

[randyt]

I like to think in terms of what would a Incan do?

 

[Tirediron]

the cleanest potato crop we ever got was from a former firewood processing patch

 

[Bacpacker]

I have heard of scab.
I grow mine in mushroom compost. They come out pretty clean

 

[Patchouli]

And now, you’re either going to get a ph testing kit or you’ll start treating the soil. I’d get a kit because some can give pretty good results.

 

[Bacpacker]

I bought a 4 way meter. PH is one feature. Seems accurate

 

[Cabin Fever]

I bought a 4 way meter. PH is one feature. Seems accurate

Did the meter come with the standard method for preparing a soil sample for pH analysis?

 

[Neb]

Did the meter come with the standard method for preparing a soil sample for pH analysis?

Please share!

We all should know that.

Ben

 

[Cabin Fever]

You start out by making sure that the meter is properly calibrated by using standard buffer solutions of pH 4 and pH 7.

Prepare the soil sample by removing any stones and/or vegetation. In the lab, we used screens/sieves. Break down any crumbs/aggregates into soil separates. In the lab, we used a mortar and pestle.

Mix the soil sample with deionized or distilled water in a soil/water ratio, by weight, of 1:2.

Mix the soil/water solution for about 30 minutes. I would do this by swirling the slurry every 5 minutes (+/-) for the 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, allow the solution to settle for 30 minutes.

You'll notice that settled sample with be relatively clear on top and settled soil on the bottom. In between those two layers is a murky layer of suspended clay. This is the layer that the pH electrode should be placed into. Take the pH reading of this murky unsettled layer.

 

[Bacpacker]

It did come with buffers for calibration, pH4 and 7.

But I don't do the mix thing. I just insert it in the ground in several places within each bed. Readings aren't the same everywhere. But have been falling with 1 unit. Between 6 and 7, which is where I want them. My soil is mid 7s, but other than my berries, grapes, and trees, I don't grow much in the ground now.

 

[Cabin Fever]

You will get differently pH readings depending on how moist your soil is and on how good of contact the electrode has with the soil. Jamming the electrode into the soil will ruin it after a while.