What's eating my (new) potatoes?

This is my first year with a large garden. My potatoes (3 varieties) are barely underground, with 12-18 inches of hay over them. I went to give them a little drink yesterday (103 degrees), and decided to get some new potatoes. I couldn't get hold of them through the dirt, so I just pulled up a couple of plants of each variety.

There were one to three per plant of small (half dollar sized or smaller) tubers, and then there were roots with gooey-goo on the end. I figured out that was the remains of what was eaten. I have searched all over the web and dave's garden, and still don't know what is eating them or what to do.

I garden organically, so most sprays are out of the question. Should I consider just pulling the plants and taking what I have, or are these critters likely to leave me half?

Originally, I planted these with the intention of using for seed next year. Then I read that you should only use certified seed (I planted certified seed this year). I planted them for a late crop, they have been in the ground about 55 days. They have lots of tiny bulbs forming, so there will be lots of potatoes if they aren't all eaten.

Sorry, my digital camera is on the fritz, or I would post a photo.

Also, the Kennebec were the larger, the all-Red and All-Blue are currently quite small still. They were all planted at the same time, and bloomed within two weeks of each other.

Thanks for listening and all your help. It can get frustrating trying to figure all this out myself. Dave's Garden is grrrr-eat!

If they are definitely eaten, you should be able to see teeth marks. For many of us that means voles, athough there are field mice and ground rats that also do a number on potatoes. They are much worse on a mulched crop, because it provides a perfect habitat for them. Not much you do at this point. If you have a small garden, you may try to form some type of barrier next year. Like hardware cloth buried at least a fott in the ground and extending at least a foot above.

TamaraFaye, that 'gooey-goo' you describe, are you sure it's not just the original seed potato? Your plants grow out of this and send out side roots which will sprout new potatoes. The seed potato sometimes rots, other times it just will blacken and turn hard.

Also, it's a little early early for them to have any size to them, it takes about 100 days for most taters. :o) Let us know how you make out.

FarmerDill~BigRed~
Thank you! I originally starting putting strips of sheet metal (that extra stuff from roofs, whatever it is called) around the edge of the garden to keep the grass from spreading in and keep out the burrowing varmits. But it was too much work for mine, as I have three separate patches that total 1/3 acre.

There were no teeth marks, and there was only one goo per plant, so guess who guessed it -- BigRed. I am so new at this, that I overllok the obvoius at times, and then can't find an answer in any reference books.

Although mine are mulched, I started them just under ground and put hay on as they grew up, so the tubers themselves are in the dirt. We ate the new potatoes at lunch today with some sweet corn, which I husked in the patch and put directly in the boiling water! Wow, never had a corn experience like that, I need to grow more corn =-)

Thank you Big Red. It always helps to ask the experts here at Daves Garden -- the book I read said you could get new potatoes right after they bloom, but I will try to use my patience and give them another 50 days or so, since, after all, this was a FALL crop... I took a picture of the corn and potatoes, so if them camera will work long enough, I will load them tomorrow. I have the corn that turns blue as it sweetens, and BOY it was so good, I didn't mind sharing a little with a few worms HEE HEE

Tamara, you're welcome! And the book is right, new potatoes can be dug right after the blossoms drop. The rule of thumb is 100 days until the potatoes get any size and will store well. :o)

What is that blue corn called? I'll have to give it a try.

RED~
Next year I will put the potatoes on top of the hay, then I can harvest new ones. For now I don't want to sacrifice a whole plant for 1-2.

The corn is from Seeds of Change, and called Triple Play. I will try to make a link

http://www.seedsofchange.com

The plants are awesome. I covered them with tunnels when they were small because of late cold spells; then they were chewed down by rabbits during a dry spell. I ended up with only 23 plants in 2 rows, and they were as high as 18 inches when they tasseled, so I fenced them in. Well, the tassels shot up with more stalk to 4-5 foot, which is how high these are supposed to get. But the silks of corn were right at ground level, so I am glad I fendced out the bunnies and we don't have coons here.

This was my first crop of corn, so despite not everything being right, there sure are good, I was quite amazed!!! Next time I will plant more!