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Post by murrayc on Oct 9, 2015 8:40:56 GMT
One of the problems of allotment growing is the threat of potato blight each year. Once the climactic conditions are right for the virus to germinate, a specific period of humidity referred to after it's documentor as "Smith" days, then the virus becomes airborne and can cover distances of several miles, given the right winds. Naturally on an open space like our allotments once one set of plants is infected it will quickly spread to another. As we all know, thereafter the only action we can take is to limit it's effect by cutting down the haulms, and sometimes digging up a smaller crop than expected. The ultimate source of the virus is disputed, but a key contributor is spoil heaps of diseased potatoes left over winter. Once the warmer weather comes the virus is reactivated with disastrous effect. Normally these spoil heaps are found in farms where potatoes are grown as agri-business, but a heap of unpicked potatoes left on the soil of an allotment plot in the autumn will moulder quickly and breed the disease. There are a couple of plots on America Lane at the moment where the holders have not been able to visit since the summer and on one at least there are small heaps of potatoes in this condition. I hope that the Town Council will consider this and contact the plot holders to alert them to clear up the problem.
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Post by wilbarra on Oct 9, 2015 9:16:19 GMT
HELLO MURRAY COULD NOT AGREE MORE ITS THE KIND OF REASON THAT MONTHLY INSPECTIONS BY THE LANDLORDS ARE SO NECESSARY AND VITAL.
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