What's the matter with my potatoes?

[seedcorn]

Not trying to be ***** but it is the popular thing to say on any problem-chemical problem. Everyone is satisfied. We've identified the "bad" guy that we all can hate.

1). It IS a chemical problem. Now the question is why? Environment, chemical drift, chemical carry over, insect or disease causing a chemical reaction in the plant, or injury that stops chemicals from being transported up and down the stem, etc...

2). The only way to know if commercial chemical is a test for that chemical once applied. Too many other problems manifest themselves with the same symptoms. Chem companies usually just pay off claims (rather than fight them) just because of bad PR and the cost of litigation. Some farmers (& commercial sprayers) hand the home owner $$$ before any spraying or damage-if any-so that they don't get hit with small claims. Cheap extortion insurance $$$.

 

[w_r_ranch]

I took actual plants in with roots and even one had the seed potato with it. They were in plastic bags with top half sticking out. This was a Master Gardener. I started to explain what was going on and she said, yes, yes, yes, and shaking her head yes and said this is herbicide damage. she started to tell me without a computer the things I have read on the links in this thread. She then gave me a print out of "Herbicide Carryover in Hay, Manure, Compost, and Grass Clippings, which you will find on a Google search.

I guess each state's extension offices are run differently... here there are 250 offices & they are staffed by 900 professors from Texas A&M University. If they don't know the definitive answer, a chemical analysis would be run.

The bottom line is the OP said that the suspected compost was spread over the garden & tilled in... yet the entire garden (especially the susceptible plants) are not affected. That leads me to believe that it is not herbicide related. Did these 'experts' even look at the specimens under magnification??? White mold will have a structure & the spores should be apparent.

 

[seedcorn]

Texas AM has 900 professors? Think there are about 30-40 in Indiana. Not sure if you added up Ohio, Indiana, Illinois & Michigan if we'd even have 1/2 that many. Ours have to have a masters (you know what that is? First BS, then MS, then PHD-piled higher and deeper). Nice people, who try to help but are untrained in most things.

 

[seedcorn]

My favorite story is my old AG Econ teacher in college. When you did a cash flow for an operation, you had to have beef cattle on your farm. At a time when cattle was a guaranteed loss. He went broke 3X trying to manage a farm in real life but he taught AG Econ. Too bizarre to be made up......

 

[seedcorn]

@Gardening with Rabbits sorry for hi jack. No idea, good luck on plants.

 

[thistlebloom]

If it were my garden, Rabbits, and seeing the other plants growing healthy in the same soil, (so far) I would first suspect a potato disease. I surely wouldn't buy into the big scares. I would give it a chance to run it's course and see what developed, although that could be taken as foolish, it's just my opinion and what would happen here on my property.

I remembered this post from a long time ago about potatoes and sunflowers. Maybe not exactly a fit in your situation but interesting I think.
https://www.theeasygarden.com/threads/sunflowers-dont-play-well-with-others.7903/

 

[seedcorn]

After reading that, I'm pulling some volunteers tomorrow.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I guess each state's extension offices are run differently... here there are 250 offices & they are staffed by 900 professors from Texas A&M University. If they don't know the definitive answer, a chemical analysis would be run.

The bottom line is the OP said that the suspected compost was spread over the garden & tilled in... yet the entire garden (especially the susceptible plants) are not affected. That leads me to believe that it is not herbicide related. Did these 'experts' even look at the specimens under magnification??? White mold will have a structure & the spores should be apparent.

Actually, they did not even take them all the way out of the sack. I was hoping for more of a scientific answer and some investigation with a microscope.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

@Gardening with Rabbits sorry for hi jack. No idea, good luck on plants.

Interesting information and thank you for all the help.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

If it were my garden, Rabbits, and seeing the other plants growing healthy in the same soil, (so far) I would first suspect a potato disease. I surely wouldn't buy into the big scares. I would give it a chance to run it's course and see what developed, although that could be taken as foolish, it's just my opinion and what would happen here on my property.

I remembered this post from a long time ago about potatoes and sunflowers. Maybe not exactly a fit in your situation but interesting I think.
https://www.theeasygarden.com/threads/sunflowers-dont-play-well-with-others.7903/

Well, that’s very interesting because last year right about where these potatoes are, sunflower volunteers were everywhere and just a few feet west of this year's potatoes I planted potatoes last year and it was the worst crop of potatoes I ever had, so bad I was not going to plant this year, but could not resist buying seed potatoes when I saw them.