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A Scotsman once knew would only use sulphate of potash in potato blend, he said that the acidifying effect reduced scab and improved potato skin appearance.
I understood muriate of potash tended to prune the roots and reduce tuber numbers which is why SOP was preferred source of potash. But if you wanted fewer bigger tubers use MOP.
MOP | SOP | ||
---|---|---|---|
Yield | Increased | Increased | |
Dry Matter | Decreased | Decreased less | |
Specific Gravity | Normal | Higher | |
Starch | Lower | Maintained | |
Fry colour | Improved | Improved less | |
Fat absorption on frying | More | Less | |
Tuber numbers | Normal | Increased | |
Tuber damage | Reduced | Reduced | |
Internal blackening | Reduced | Reduced less | |
Flavour | Normal | Better | |
Cracking on high pH soils | Normal | Less |
Our soil at home has a PH of about 5.6 and was perfect for potatoes but not much good for corn so of course we had to use lime so we would put on about 2-3 tonnes an acre of powdered lime. one run up the field with the potato harvester found the place where the lime had been dumped the year previously and every potato for 20 yards came up scabbed.pH5.5 is pretty good for spuds but generally wise to lime for the sake of the rest of the rotation aiming for pH6.5. Apparently it is a myth that lime worsens common scab.
New potatoes lose flavour very quickly but will keep for a little while. The lack of set skin means they dry and then rot quite quickly. 3-5 days in fridge perhaps.