The Allotted Month - July 2008

As already reported on this web site, the selective
herbicide, Aminopryalid, has been affecting crops all over the country. My own
plot has been affected by contaminated farmyard manure from my usual local
farm. Although this is the first time for my plot, I have seen a similar
problem on other plots about ten years ago. The effect was distortion of potato
leaves very similar to the effect that selective lawn weed killer has on lawn
weeds. At that time the local slaughterhouse had closed down and many tons of
the scrapings from the animals intestines were provided free to our site. I had
already obtained my usual annual load so did not use any of it. Many other plot
holders did, sometimes in large quantities. Their potatoes all grew with the
same leaf distortion as is happening now. By the following year the visible
effects had disappeared.

My dung is used only on the potato section. At first the
potatoes grew normally. By the beginning of July the roots had reached the
dung, about nine inches down, and the deformity started to appear. As before, I
guessed that the problem was residual selective herbicide brought in with the
dung. This has now been confirmed. Some potato varieties seem more susceptible
than others. The surface growing weeds have grown as quickly as ever.
Harvesting will start next month and I'll be keen to see the effect on the
yield. The authorities have stated clearly that the potatoes will be safe to
eat. My catch crop of the earliest of first earlies, grown on another section,
is unaffected; they have given a good crop of normal potatoes.

So much for section A. 
In section B, the peas, as usual, have been affected by thrips. The
growing points were sprayed with organic Derris but the damage had been done
and some plants have now stopped cropping because the growing points have died.
Apart from a reduced yield, the peas have been good with long well filled pods.
A common problem with onions this year has been bolting. I delay planting the
sets as this reduces the amount of bolting. Red Baron were the worst affected.
All the young seed heads were broken off as soon as they appeared but these
onions now have thick necks. They'll be used first as they do not store very
well. Unusually, the Golden Gourmet were also affected but the crop is good.
All the onions, shallots and garlic will be harvested next month. I'm going to
have to change my method of making carrot seed tapes. When I first started I
used newspaper and the results were good. Recently I've used thin paper from a
roll that I was given and the results have been poor. I guess that there is
some contamination in the paper that inhibits germination. Next year it'll be
back to newspaper.

All the crops in section C are doing well. Lifting of the
catch crop of early potatoes has started and the results are good. Examining
the roots with a magnifying glass has shown only a minimal number of the cysts
of potato root eelworm, not enough to have any real affect on the crop. As the
potatoes are lifted they are replaced with leeks from their seedbed. Then
crimson clover green manure is sown between the rows of leeks. As usual, the
courgettes are cropping well. Even with only four plants there have been so
many that some have been given away.

Also doing well are the brassicas in section D with the
usual glut of calabrese. Summer cabbage and cauliflower are ready for
harvesting.

B. A. Plotter.