Charlotte Potato problems

[JDParticipant]

Hi all
My early Maris Bard and Lady Cristl potatoes were brilliant. Not so my later planted Charlotte. I pulled some up yesterday to find tooth marks on some of the tubers and a bad attack of what I presume to be scab on others. Anyone know what has been eating them? I have a resident very active mole in the area that may have fancied a change of diet or could this be voles/mice or the dreaded rat? I haven’t noticed any holes in the compost and these were all in the side of the bed nearest the mole run. I think the nibbles may be a little large for mice but could something be using the mole tunnels to get to them? Not seen rodent damage before.
The beds were all newly created this year from a mixture of commercially available bagged horse manure and municipal waste as I didn’t have any of my own so relatively ‘sterile’. If this is scab I understand that it’s soil borne and persists forever! I’ve never seen it before. It’s been a very dry year until last week and the potatoes perhaps missed out on my limited water supply. I’m going to be moving allotments. Is it best to avoid taking this bed’s compost with me?
Thanks for your help
Jan

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[JDParticipant]

Sorry, I also meant to ask whether it’s best to pull the 7 remaining potatoes up now or leave them.
Thank you
Jan

[RandAParticipant]

It may be a myth but scab is caused by dry conditions and we did have a very dry spring and early summer. You can still eat them just peel the skin off carefully, I am not sure if it is in the soil now and await more knowledge on this

[JDParticipant]

Thank you.
Anyone able to tell what’s eating the potatoes, and whether to take the compost with me or leave it when soon moving allotments?

I would like to say a BIG thank you to Charles for introducing us all to his methods of no dig and particularly for taking the time to answer our maybe stupid/novice/repetitive questions when he must be SO busy and probably tired too. Thank you Charles and you too Steph. Your meals are delicious.
Regards
Jan

[JDParticipant]

I meant THIS (potato) compost only. I’ll take the rest.

[charlesModerator]

Those are rats gnawing (large teeth) so not a compost problem.
The scab on photo 3 could be that your soil is alkaline, plus dry. Again I would say not a compost issue.
Thanks for your appreciation. It’s a pleasure and I learn from many of the questions!
Steph will be happy to hear that.
See her on a YT video in three weeks.

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