Author Topic: Blight (Read 11131 times)

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #20 on:** July 25, 2009, 03:53:19 »

Quote from: GrannieAnnie on July 24, 2009, 21:07:35

After having a drought we've now had lots of rain and warm humidity and it looks like some of mine have blight, especially the Brandywine toms. They were all grown from seed but perhaps the wind brought it from the neighbors' toms.

But I'm not going down without a fight and have severely pruned and sprayed with copper and seedweed.

That's supposed to be "copper and seaweed" :-\
An article about the blight said that the variety doesn't matter- it can infect any tom. But then it went on to say that some think the cherry type tom is less likely to be infected, but then they are earlier and so might be harvested before the late blight rears its ugly head.
It would be interesting to take a poll about which varieties A4Aers say have been infected.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #21 on:** July 25, 2009, 09:41:10 »

Charlotte, Duke of York, Arran Pilot and, to a lesser extent, PFA. Cara, which is said to be partly resistant, seems to be holding out so far. I lost much of the crop to blight two years ago though, so don't hold out too many hopes. Some of my neighbours have given up trying to grow maincrops, and I'm likely to follow suit.

angle shades · « **Reply #22 on:** July 25, 2009, 12:13:07 »

:) in 2007 my plot like many others on this forum was flooded, my potatoes and toms (both outside and in the greenhouses) were devastated by blight.

I was not prepared to bin all my once lovely toms without trying to save them.

I took all the infected toms and leaves off, and waited and they grew out of it.

I mainly grow heritage varieties which to be honest when they haven't got blight grow like crazy anyway and I found even with blight they just wouldn't stop growing!.. and I did get alot of toms that year(Jap Black Truffle did very well)

The pots I grew that year were Nicola and I dived for them wearing my marigold gloves in flood conditions and they were perfect! I grow them every year as I know they seem to survive blight.. touch wood :)

I commiserate with everyone who has blight at the moment but would say don't be too hasty, you may be able to save some of your plants. / shades x

Unwashed · « **Reply #23 on:** July 25, 2009, 13:28:20 »

Lots of late potato blight on my allotment. It's bad, and it's killing the tomatoes too. I have a row of main crop called spirit which are virtually unaffected.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #24 on:** July 25, 2009, 16:24:40 »

I've just cut all the potatoes down to ground level; it looks as though there's a decent crop under there so all's not lost. I've got rid of the tomatoes, which had early signs of the disease, and I'll have to look for ways to grow the under cover in future.

Recently one poster made an alarming suggestion that blight survives in the soil. Spores cannot do so. However, we now have two strains within the UK, and where both are present in a single infection, it's possible for sexual reproduction to occur, leading to the production of oocytes. These can overwinter in soil. However, so far, it seems to happen rarely or not at all in the UK. So don't panic!

Emagggie · « **Reply #25 on:** July 25, 2009, 16:54:35 »

I suspected blight would come soon given the weather of late so I sprayed my toms last week. Since then we've had torrential rain, should I spray again now although the instructions say 10 days?

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #26 on:** July 25, 2009, 17:06:50 »

I should do it as it will wash off. I've been avoiding it as I don't want my soil loaded with copper. I think this can possibly be tackled at the source, and given that many plotholders have little or no understanding of blight, I'm wondering what an awareness campaign on the site might achieve.

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #27 on:** July 25, 2009, 17:50:52 »

Quote from: Emagggie on July 25, 2009, 16:54:35

I suspected blight would come soon given the weather of late so I sprayed my toms last week. Since then we've had torrential rain, should I spray again now although the instructions say 10 days?

The instructions on my copper spray say "weekly" but if heavy infestation as often as every 4 days. You didn't say what you're spraying with though.

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #28 on:** July 25, 2009, 18:04:48 »

observation today:
I have 27 toms planted in three different areas in our yard and the worst hit, showing large brown streaks, are the potato-leafed toms (Pruden's Purple, Brandywine). The Black Krim also was hard hit (unfortunately because it has a fantastic taste as does Pruden's Purple though she is late this year.)

The Polfast which are a very early tom always look terrible this time of year anyway though loaded with fruits and are gone by August normally so no tears over losing them. They were hard hit.

Tigerella and Anna Russian are doing well comparatively (too early to draw definite conclusions). They are smaller leafed (do you suppose that has anything to do with it) and the potato-leafed may be closer to potatoes so therefore less resistant???

amphibian · « **Reply #29 on:** July 25, 2009, 19:02:56 »

Quote from: GrannieAnnie on July 25, 2009, 18:04:48

and the potato-leafed may be closer to potatoes so therefore less resistant???[/b][/color]

Strangely enough there is a commonly held perception among avid tomato growers, that PL cultivars are actually more resistant or more tolerant to foliar diseases. My experience is certainly that PL cultivars are far more resilient in our climate and with our diseases. Personally I put it down to the thicker leaves and the fact they don't curl as freely as RL leaves. The lack of curling means water normally drains off them more easily and air is able to flow over them better than with RL

Emagggie · « **Reply #30 on:** July 25, 2009, 20:01:35 »

[/quote] The instructions on my copper spray say "weekly" but if heavy infestation as often as every 4 days. You didn't say what you're spraying with though.
[/quote]
Dithane, G.Annie. Have been up to check and there are still signs of having been sprayed ( run marks on toms) so I assume it has some staying power. Will monitor every day now and keep sprayer and mix in my car. Had a good look at others and blight seems to be absent so far. Mine were infected last year so I'm extra paranoid this year, especially as the blight king next-plot-but-one has shoved his toms in and not been back since ::), a repetition of last year when his were infected and left to rot >:(

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #31 on:** July 25, 2009, 21:03:16 »

Quote from: Emagggie on July 25, 2009, 20:01:35

The instructions on my copper spray say "weekly" but if heavy infestation as often as every 4 days. You didn't say what you're spraying with though.
[/quote]
Dithane, G.Annie. Have been up to check and there are still signs of having been sprayed ( run marks on toms) so I assume it has some staying power. Will monitor every day now and keep sprayer and mix in my car. Had a good look at others and blight seems to be absent so far. Mine were infected last year so I'm extra paranoid this year, especially as the blight king next-plot-but-one has shoved his toms in and not been back since ::), a repetition of last year when his were infected and left to rot >:(
[/quote] And the allotment committee lets him get away with that???

tricia · « **Reply #32 on:** July 25, 2009, 22:02:20 »

Have just checked my last year's diary - blight arrived here in Torbay on 24 August, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed - so far so good! I won't be growing outdoor toms next year if I lose this year's crop - three years in a row would be just too disheartening.

Tricia

Emagggie · « **Reply #33 on:** July 25, 2009, 22:04:17 »

No committee sadly, just me moaning to site sec. He just tells me to go away and stop whingeing, but that's another thread probably. ;)

Tin Shed · « **Reply #34 on:** July 25, 2009, 22:07:53 »

I'd tell him that the wind is blowing from the 'blight king' in the direction of his tomato crop...and then wait and see what happens ;D ;D

Emagggie · « **Reply #35 on:** July 25, 2009, 22:42:45 »

He hasn't got a plot now, just sits in his ivory tower dishing out rules and regs as sec to the Parish council.
Fingers crossed the blight stays away, but the weather here is perfect for it.

Tin Shed · « **Reply #36 on:** July 25, 2009, 22:52:11 »

What a shame blight doesn't attack ivory towers then :D

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #37 on:** July 26, 2009, 10:23:09 »

Quote from: Emagggie on July 25, 2009, 22:42:45

He hasn't got a plot now, just sits in his ivory tower dishing out rules and regs as sec to the Parish council.
Fingers crossed the blight stays away, but the weather here is perfect for it.

Then why is he tolerated as site secretary? you need to vote him out and put someone decent in.

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #38 on:** July 26, 2009, 21:41:40 »

Locally some farmers claim the blight problems are from home growers who don't use good sanitation. Your blight king may support that theory.
Wouldn't it be a step ahead if all office holders had to be subject to their own rules and all OB-GYNS had to have had babies etc...

growmore · « **Reply #39 on:** July 27, 2009, 09:46:26 »

I find it intersting that some say "I wont use dithane or bordeaux to try and save my tatts or toms from blight " .. Don't they eat potatoes or toms that year?
Or do they buy and eat Tatts and toms that have been sprayed and blasted wilth a lot more chemicals than we would ever think of using ?.

News:

Author Topic: Blight (Read 11131 times)

amphibian