Burning/Topping potatoes Down

[ballybollen]

How’s everyone getting on getting there crops stopped this year especially when it’s been so wet in a lot of places for topping

 

[ridger]

Better to keep them growing and use some of the water

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Better to keep them growing and use some of the water

I was thinking that

 

[Sonoftheheir]

How’s everyone getting on getting there crops stopped this year especially when it’s been so wet in a lot of places for topping

In general I’m determined to use chemical rather than flail.

Flailing is going to make a mess and cause problems I reckon.

 

[ballybollen]

Has anyone come up with anything else for stopping them heard of people trying salt?

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Has anyone come up with anything else for stopping them heard of people trying salt?

My agronomist was on about it earlier in the year, gone quiet about it now for some reason? Saltex I think. He was saying not approved as a pesticide though.

 

[Happy]

Think a few In eastern Scotland will be switching back to not topping next year.
The 45mm we got in an hour a couple of weeks back washed soil off the drills and loads of greens now.
Any other year prior to this and they’d have been fine with all the shaw still there to protect them

 

[Honest john]

When I drive about it looks like the chems are working well same as previous yrs.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Think a few In eastern Scotland will be switching back to not topping next year.
The 45mm we got in an hour a couple of weeks back washed soil off the drills and loads of greens now.
Any other year prior to this and they’d have been fine with all the shaw still there to protect them

That would be my main concern, especially topping early and being 3-4 wks off harvest still

 

[Sonoftheheir]

When I drive about it looks like the chems are working well same as previous yrs.

No ones burned anything off around here yet

 

[Cloonpotatoes]

We have managed to flail about 80 acres so far. Traveling has been our biggest problem. Desiccation has been decided by when ground will travel as much as when the crop is fit. What we have done has killed really well when followed with a litre of spotlight. Greens and crows have not been an issue yet. Tried the first couple of fields on friday with spotlight and no flailing we will know better in a few days if it has managed to open the canopy up.

 

[Flat 10]

As a potato ignoramus I was well impressed with the one bit I’ve seen burnt down. They had decent tops on too. Seen a few where the top appeared to senescence naturally as there’s loads of rubbish growing up through them...