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Wounds from handling and cutting aren’t healing quickly enough on my seed potatoes. Any suggestions on keeping my potatoes healthy? —Frustrated in Beaverhead County, Montana |
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Just as your body quickly forms a scab over a bad cut to protect
your body from infection, rapid wound healing and suberization
in potatoes is vital in protecting against certain diseases. Wound
healing allows the tuber to develop a protective barrier, like a
bandage, on damaged and cut surfaces that occur during planting,
handling or storage. Without this, potatoes are an open invitation
for decay and rotting. I recommend protecting your plants from the beginning of the season before disease has a foothold. Preventative seed treatment fungicides are an excellent way to protect your potato seed from day one and the reduction in early-season infection can improve the health of the potato plant throughout the season. Treating seed pieces with a seed treatment insecticide/fungicide, like CruiserMaxx Potatoes™, can improve suberization and protect the seed through the vulnerable early-season period and into a strong growing season. |
