Topic: Fleece protection against blight?

[Alex133]

Just about to buy some fleece - can I use to protect against blight as well as frost on my potatoes?

[Flighty]

I wouldn't have thought that it's worth the effort on potatoes, or make much difference! 
Potato foliage grows back if frosted and if blight strikes cut it all off and leave the potatoes in the ground for a few more weeks as they won't be affected.

[rugbypost]

I agree with flighty if they are ok now  not a lot for you to do

[Ellen K]

A plotholder on the site where I am tried to protect his tomatoes against late blight with fleece last year.

It did nothing, I think a lot of blight is windborn.  And it is a bit like a greenhouse: possibly some protection but then it spreads like wildfire within the confines of the enclosure.

But we were all surprised by just how ineffective the fleece was.

[Digeroo]

I am not convinced that it will help against the blight.  I had some tomatoes all wrapped up in fleece bags a couple of years ago and they died quicker than the unprotected ones, I think the fleece kept the damp conditions inside.  

Growing under a roof has been recommended in other posts  Did not work for me the roof simply took off in the wind.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Blight's a microscopic spore that'll go straight through fleece.

[Alex133]

Thanks all, very helpful - perhaps I'll put it on my onions instead and keep onion fly off them.

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you've got the fly locally, it's necessary with spring-planted onions, and it works.

[Tonythegardener]

I hope that the leek miner fly, Phytomyza gymnostoma has not reached you yet Alex.  I thought that it was concentrated around us in the West Midlands Robert.  I have found that enviromesh is good at keeping this pest off onions and leeks. 

[Robert_Brenchley]

There's plenty of onion fly locally, but I don't know where else it is. It's been identified as various things, but the onion pest I have produces typical fly pupae.

[Alex133]

We have terrible problem with leek moth on our site. Arrived in 2009 here, supposedly came from France to Kent and has been gradually spreading. In 2009 pulled up all my 66 lovingly tended leeks but later found others who had just left theirs had grown through it and weren't too bad. Covered wth environmesh in 2010 and fine apart from the odd nibble. Couldn't afford to do that with onions as want to grow loads and loads of them and would cost a fortune.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Would old net curtains be fine enough? If so, you could possibly make friends with a charity shop and get them to pass on some rejects.

I haven't experienced leek moth, but overwintering onions aren't affected much by onion fly.

[chriscross1966]

I'd have thought fleece would make blight worse.... the spores can get through it, so can water and it'll be warmer and more humid underneath...

[gp.girl]

Why not get second hand fleece from riverford?

[Jeannine]

Rain goes rightb through fleece and the leaves get wet and mud splashed just as if it wasn't there, plus is holds the moisture so I think it would be a disadvatage rather than a help XX Jeannine

[green lily]

best protection for potatoes against frost I've found is layers of newspaper held down by fine netting. Against blight grow early ones before the blight really hits and choose ones with a bit of resistance. if you live in a very wet part of the country may pay using raised beds and keeping them a bit drier if poss. Fleece etc makes the problem worse.

[chriscross1966]

Why not get second hand fleece from riverford?

cos they've run out :D

[indeed]

Fleeces back in stock !1