Blight and green seed tubers
 

This is a multi question due to the fact that I neglected my garden for too long because nothing was going on. Then I look and my tomato plants are dead from late blight. The potato plants had small patches of LB on the leaves and were starting to die down any way so I cut the tops off and took them away. I have a 2n Skagit Valley Gold cross with long runners so there were a lot of exposed tubers = a small dishshpan of green tubers.

1) Is there any problem using green tubers for seed potatoes next year?

There is still leaf litter on the hills, so probably LB spores all over the greenies.

I didn't have time to clean up everything before dark, so...

2) Will the spores percolate into the soil?.

3)It's suppose to rain tomorrow, but if it doesn't, should I dig the spuds ASAP or let them cure in place?

4) Supposing that my green seed spuds have LB spores on their dry skin (the soil is dry now) What's that mean exactly? Will they get infected when they get wet=planted next year? Or will they start rotting before then. How long will that take. Should I set aside 2-3x as many seed tubers than normal?

5) Can I treat them with a bleach bath or something?



If you want to feel really sorry for me losing the whole mater crop. ... I lost my mellons and cucumbers too. Virus? patchy checkered yellow leaves, then dead plants. Then rain caused my cabbages to split like ripe tomatoes do, and racoons ate every last ear of corn (100 plants), in two nights. No peppers because of the cold summer. I planted the biggest garden ever this year and got nothing but potatoes, some longneck squash, and maybe brussels sprouts.:x

This may help.
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Dutch

TZ, sorry to read about the garden difficulties, I suffer similar troubles every year but I spread my risks with 10 or more locations each year.

[QUOTE]I have a 2n Skagit Valley Gold cross with long runners so there were a lot of exposed tubers = a small dishshpan of green tubers.
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Good news....Skagit Valley Gold was bred and increased annualy with late blight as a control. It is fairly tolerant to LB and the tubers also...not just the foliage.

Yes, the spores can/may overwinter and that is why i do the most breeding work in those areas for both tomatoes and potatoes. I have yet to explore my tomatoes for ripe fruits in the worst areas this season, as I am too busy extracting from blemish free tomato patches.

Drying out the tubers and watching them should be enough for your green tubers. I plant them the next year as long as they are sound...and since they should be resistant/tolerarant...go ahead and plan to replant the tubers.