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Thread ID: 150494 2022-02-21 01:31:00 What's wrong with my potato? Agent_24 (57) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1484437 2022-02-21 01:31:00 Seen this several times over the years.

Potatoes with a big hole inside like a rock with a crystal formation might have.
Sometimes it's pretty clean like this, other times looks as if its moldy.

No outer connection either so not insects it would seem.

A disease, or some bad conditions like too much water? Does anyone know?
Agent_24 (57)
1484438 2022-02-21 01:57:00 Too much water I think. zqwerty (97)
1484439 2022-02-21 02:39:00 The cracks you show are usually caused by physical conditions in the soil and climate. The growth of the potato has alternating times of good nutrition and water followed by drought and temperature changes or such environmental conditions. As zqwerty says "too much water" especially after a long dry spell smithie 38 (6684)
1484440 2022-02-21 04:21:00 Maybe it could be used for vodka. prefect (6291)
1484441 2022-02-21 04:28:00 I grow a couple of varieties of Maori potatoes. This year year has been a failure, mostly greenery and just a few spuds, so disappointing. bellbird (6169)
1484442 2022-02-21 05:05:00 I grew a good crop of Jersey Bennee's which we first dug on Christmas Day. They were pretty good. SWMBO tends to overwater but I have given up telling her bearing in mind the "Yes Dear" method of self defense!

Ken :)
kenj (9738)
1484443 2022-02-22 02:19:00 Hollow Heart


This problem presents as a hollow inside a potato that otherwise looks normal, hence the name Hollow Heart. It’s caused by a dry spell checking growth of the tuber followed by a prolonged wet spell. It’s similar in some ways to blossom end rot in tomatoes in that the uneven supply of water causes problems in calcium distribution and availability.

Often the internal cavity in the potato has a brown coloured surface

The only prevention is to water well in dry weather. Remember that potatoes are a thirsty crop and require more water than many other crops.

Splitting – cracks in potato tubers

This is another problem of irregular watering. Most often the cracks or splits will have skinned over and the biggest problem will be in peeling them. I
This is a problem that can be caused by lack of water as the tubers are developing but it can also be caused by virus infection or a lack of trace elements in the soil.

Handy pics:

ahdb.org.uk

I had a potato plant. Didn't do it on purpose, peelings from within the compost.
So I let it grow, I didn't water as we have soggy soil here. After a while it died off as they do and I dug up what was under it. Not expecting much.

We got 2 meals out of it. Not bad size spuds actually, peeling plants normally only grow small babies....so it did well for being ignored.


If it occurs despite the plants being properly watered and the crop rotated annually as it should be.
piroska (17583)
1484444 2022-02-22 03:45:00 Thanks all, looks like "Hollow Heart" and "Brown Heart"
(ephytia.inra.fr)
are both the conditions I have noticed in several potatoes.

As these were all in potatoes from the supermarket, I don't know the growing conditions.

Looks like the suspicion of irregular watering is correct though.
Agent_24 (57)
1484445 2022-02-22 05:24:00 Could be a Hoof Heart?

Ken ;)
kenj (9738)
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