Topic: Blight

[isbister]

Just had an alert from Blightwatch for a Full Smith Period in my area (Surrey/Middlesex) gets earlier every year!

[gonz]

As a newbie, I have heard alot about blight, but dont know anything about it.  Can someone please let me know what to look for and when it is likely as the above post has said 'it gets earlier each year'.  Also what spreads it.  Ta .

[redimp]

http://www.blightwatch.co.uk/content/bw-Home.asp
http://www.potato.org.uk/blight
For a start.
Google potato blight or late blight for the rest.  Look up early blight too as it is best to be able to tell them apart etc.

[Tin Shed]

Yup, just had one for Southend as well - I wonder why I bother with toms sometimes

[Sinbad7]

Oh noooooooooo, what are they saying for Surrey and Southend?

Sinbad

[saddad]

It was certainly warm and wet enough here last night!  :o

[realfood]

Yes, the first reports of blight were posted on the Potato site several weeks ago after the hot first May holiday weekend. Some of the reports are on new farm potato crops, but others are on the so called "outgrade piles" of last year's tatties on farms. These are the tatties that are the rejects and are left to rot in piles. This is a source for the blight to spread in the wind and attack the new year's crop. You should make sure that you do not have any old potatoes lying around your allotment to spread disease.
I have included a link on the potato diseases page of my new website http://www.growyourown.info/page146a.html to the blight watch page of the Potato council.
There are also links on the same page to internet pages giving full descriptions of the full range of potato diseases, and descriptions of the main commercial potato characteristics

[PurpleHeather]

I found something called bordeaux  mixture in my late dad's shed, supposed to be for blight. No idea how old it must be. Any one know if these things are still legal?

[djbrenton]

Yes, you can still buy it.

[growmore]

If you have a blight report in your area .
Dithane945 is a good preventative, mix as directed on sachet/packet use as directed. Make sure you spray it on underside of leaves as well.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Blight spreads slowly at first, so don't panic. You can use Bordeaux mix as a preventive; I think it's it's technically 'organic' but only because it's been used for so long. If we have a long series of Smith events like last year, that's when it gets bad.

[gonz]

Redclanger:  Thanks for that, i have had a look on the websites but am as confused as ever!

My tomatoes are planted under polythene and the edges of the leaves have gone a bit yellow and brown.  Not the grey as stated on various sites I have visited, but some sites have said that they go yellow/brown before grey.  I thought they looked like they had been a bit scorched cos it has been really hot here a week or so ago.  Could this be blight or is it too early?

Sorry to be a bit dim, I am learning!!!!!!!! ??? ???

[growmore]

Here is another that I think ranks as organic . I don't know if it's as effective as Dithane as I have never tried it..
Think this one is called Burgandy mixture ..
50 grammes of copper sulphate. 
60 grammes of sodium carbonate (washing soda) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
All in five litres of water.

[tim]

Gonz - most of us have yellowing early leaves.

Burgundy? Seems to have gone out of fashion?

[redimp]

Could I add that this year, it is doubly important to deal with all volunteers as early as possible.  Blight was rife this year and may be carried on into this by infected tubours left in the ground.  I am dealing with all mine but my neighbour seems to think his volunteers are a bonus - and I am sure it was an outgrade pile of his that was the starting point on our site last year. >:(

[djbrenton]

This coming week is shaping up for a Smith period too.

[Dadnlad]

Blightwatch showed that 4 out of 5 preceeding days were 'ideal' conditions
Our taters missed the late frosts cos of their straw mulch, but they're well up and too tall now, so we gave them and the toms a Dithane shower yesterday (rain forecast for early next week)
Fingers crossed ::)
Wilkinsons have Dithane for £3 - anyone found it any cheaper ?

[OllieC]

Could I add that this year, it is doubly important to deal with all volunteers as early as possible.  Blight was rife this year and may be carried on into this by infected tubours left in the ground.  I am dealing with all mine but my neighbour seems to think his volunteers are a bonus - and I am sure it was an outgrade pile of his that was the starting point on our site last year. >:(

Exactly the same problem with me, brother red, I have a neighbour who only grows spuds & runners & just lets whatever appears there grow... grrrr >:(

[growmore]

Gonz - most of us have yellowing early leaves.

Burgundy? Seems to have gone out of fashion?

Tim it seems burgundy mixture is  used  more as a fungicide  for  fruit trees etc in the late autumn winter...
The recipe for Bordeaux which is the one more commonly used on potatoes is  the same amounts as for Burgundy ,but the Sodium carbonate or Sodium bicarbonate is replaced by hydrated lime ...

[tim]

Aha!!