Simon
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An interesting experiment with spudsWe have planted for varieties of spuds on our plot this season.
Two early varieties: Charlotte & Belle de Fontenay
Two Main crop: Bintje & Roseval
Colerado beetle did not put in an appearance until a few weeks ago!!!!
All our neighbours have had loads of them since round about May.
When we did finally get the beggars they sem to only be interested in the rows of Roseval. Not a single beetle on any of the other three crops.
The moral of this story seems to be that the cols' prefer one variety of spuds to the others and therefore by planting several different varieties (space permitting) you would sacrifice one batch to save the others.
We have just taken up the last of the two early varieties and we are impressed with the quantity.
Can't wait to see what the "mains" hold in store for us now. Reckon we will get a reasonable crop from the Roseval even with the beetle attack. Spud plot is going way out back next season.
S
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judith
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Interesting that their preference is so specific to one variety.
Isn't Roseval a red variety? I wonder if that makes any difference.
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Treacodactyl
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Certainly interesting, I can see the little blighters crossing the channel soon. 
As we've not heard from you for a while I thought they had become flesh eating critters. 
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Simon
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Yes Judith they are the red ones. I dug up a plant earlier today to check them and they look mighty fine.
I have popped a few in the post for you TD (beetles, not spuds) so they should be crossing the channel later today 
S
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Millymollymandy
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That's interesting because I didn't have any last year, and I grew Belle de Fontenay and Bintje too!!!
This year I had some beetles but not a lot but then I got blight! Different spud varieties - Linzaner Delikatess (not worth it) and Ratte (very, very worth it for flavour - will definately grow these again).
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Simon
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Epilogue
Well the earlies and semi-earlies were all good (Charlotte & Belle de Fontenay). We still have some of the BdF.s in straw in the cellar and they are still as good as ever.
The first main crop - Bintje - Suffered heavily from blight in September probably due to the torrents of rain we had for weeks on end. Most of them were usable if peeled thickly but obviousely not store-able.
The last of the main crop - Roseval - I took up today. Despite having suffered with colerado beetles earlier in the year (The Bintje didn't even though they were planted nearby) there was a considerable amount of lovely red spuds to be had. Got about two barrowfulls in the end which should last us the winter (along with the others in store).
The morel of the story for me is: I will most certainly be planting Rosevals again next year, if just to keep those damned doryphores (Col beetle) off the rest. The rest will be a variety of plants and will be grown well away from this years "blighted area". The blight got to most of me toms and peppers in the end 
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judith
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How well do they roast? 
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Simon
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Flippin' heck Judith. Give me chance. They are still "drying in the winter sun" (don't think you can quite call that roasting)
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judith
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Sun?
What is this thing of which you speak?
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Simon
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Simon
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notre jardin en France ce soir
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mochyn
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| Simon wrote: | notre jardin en France ce soir
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That is so cruel to those poor pigs: akin to putting a large bar of Green & Black's in sight but out of the reach of a pre-menstrual woman...
SADIST!
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Simon
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Don't worry Mochyn.
They got all the cast offs whilst I was digging. Why else do you think they are smiling?
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mochyn
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Do your pigs do that wonderful smacking-of-the-lips-aaaaah! thing when they've just eaten something really tasty?
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dpack
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ahh warms me cockles
nice spuds and nice piggies ,will they soon be together again ?
"two hogs and a barrow of spuds please waiter " proper desperate dan stuff
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mochyn
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| dpack wrote: | ahh warms me cockles
nice spuds and nice piggies ,will they soon be together again ?
"two hogs and a barrow of spuds please waiter " proper desperate dan stuff |
What do you mean: Desparate Dan? That's a light snack here!
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