Topic: sorry to ask, again...!!

[undercarriage plan]

I have tried the search, and rolling through old posts, and know I have seen an answer to this somewhere, just can't find it!! The toms in my greenhouse did really well, but right at the end of the season, they succumbed to blight. I have cleared them out, but I'm worried that this may mean that I can't grow toms in there next season.
Is there a way of killing the spores, without resorting to some really harsh chemicals?
Lottie

[tim]

Do you know it was blight - rather than Botrytis - like we're now clearing out??

Whatever - a good wash down with Armillatox will see you through.

[undercarriage plan]

Yes was blight, def blight, Tim. What do I do about the soil though, Tim? The tomatoes were planted directly into the ground? Thanks!

[tim]

Don't know - but would have thought that -
a. your spores can not have gone very deep in that time &, in any case,
b. Armillatox is a soil sterilant @ 1/100.

[undercarriage plan]

OK, got it!! Thanks Tim. x

[john_miller]

The resting spores of blight overwinter on dead tomato tissue on, or near the surface of, the ground. Clearing out any old tissue will reduce the chances of your border soil being a source of re-infestation. However, the main source of recontamination each autumn will be airborne spores blowing in from outside. Closing the greenhouse in the fall, especially to help keep the foliage dry overnight, will be far more effective than sterilising the soil.

[tim]

When you say 'fall', John, how early?

And despite the occasional high 'Indian Summer' temperature? Too late to affect pollination?

When I said spray, I was talking about an empty 'house - like ours will be. Whichever, I shall disinfect and fumigate with sulphur as usual.

[undercarriage plan]

Mine will be empty soon, have one lone cucumber plant that seems oblivious to the change in season! Is still fruiting and flowering though doubt if I'll get many more. Would hate to shatter it's illusions by ripping it out, til it comes to its own realization.... ::) ;)

[john_miller]

When you say 'fall', John, how early?
And despite the occasional high 'Indian Summer' temperature? Too late to affect pollination?

Fall? Oops, that should read autumn, of course. Certainly not meteorlogical fall, Tim. Anytime night-time temperatures drop sufficently for condensation to occur and provide the film of moisture on the leaf surface that the spores need to germinate would be autumnal. Over here this summer we had few fungal problems as our night-time temperatures (and two months of record daytime temperatures) were so high for so long that condensation didn't occur until many crops were almost finished.
This is also why 'Indian Summers' will not be an issue as it is the temperature difference between day and night that will promote infection not the daytime temperatures per se. That late in the season subsequent fruit development and ripening will not be typical either so that poor pollination would be a minor concern, I would imagine.