Topic: Tomato Blight

[Bun]

Last year we had lots of blight in our garden, so this year, now we have our new lottie, we going to grow all veg in there.
What I want to know is, is there anything I can do to prevent it from occurring in the lottie & what should I do if it does turn up?

[Doris_Pinks]

I am sure Ina would agree with me here, because it is she that told me the same! ;D  grow Ferline tomatoes, they have a greater resistance to blight than most other tomatoes, I actually managed to get a load of fruit last year, off my plot, for the first time!! (OK so they were green, but at least I got some before the dreaded blight struck!)
I think they also say to grow under some sort of cover to prevent it reaching your plants, but I shall leave that to the many tomato experts out there! ;D  DP

[Painter]

Blight affects both Tomatoes and Potatoes and thrives in warm moist conditions, the spores are carried from plant to plant by wind or rain. Try and avoid overhead watering and earth up potatoes deeply to provide a barrier from wind blown spores. You can protect both by spraying with Mancozeb or a copper based fungicide. In wet seasons spray plants befor the blight appears.
With a new Allotment, unless blight has been a problem you should be ok.

[tim]

Being a little organic, I would grow the thing of my choice & spray prophylactically, but only with Bordeaux Mixture, which is still 'permitted'. But keep pots & toms as separate as poss. And, as said, protect - like with fleece?? Blight can hit as early as June - even in a dry spell. We lost all our early potatoes last year!

This is NOT God's word - just what happens here. = Tim

[sandersj89]

Blight affects both Tomatoes and Potatoes and thrives in warm moist conditions, the spores are carried from plant to plant by wind or rain. Try and avoid overhead watering and earth up potatoes deeply to provide a barrier from wind blown spores. You can protect both by spraying with Mancozeb or a copper based fungicide. In wet seasons spray plants befor the blight appears.
With a new Allotment, unless blight has been a problem you should be ok.

It is very hard to protect against blight, the best way is to grow under shelter.

Having moved to a new site will not protect you from blight. Blight is in the main wind borne and spreads from the south west in general terms.

Local weather conditions dictate weather you are likely to get blight or not. Obviously these vary from year to year, month to month, week to week, day to day.

If the weather conditions are conducive to blight for a number of days it is called a Smith Period. If these are forecasted for your area it is best to start spraying outdoor crops.

This web site is excellent, you put in your location and it monitors local weather to give an indication of the likelihood of blight. You can also look at previous years weather data:

http://www.potatocrop.com/potatoblight.htm

You need to register but it is free, aimed at commercial growers really. I have used this site for 3 years now and find it very useful.

The best advice for toms is to grow under a cover of some sort if you can, even a simple plastic tent. Plant early if you can to avoid peek blight season, spray if you can before blight hits, choose resistant varieties if possible, that really means Ferline. T&M are offering it along with some other seed companies.

HTH

Jerry

[Mrs Ava]

Have Bordeaux on standby after loosing all my lottie toms last year!  PLus my darling Ava is building me a roof to go over the top of my toms to try and help (as seen in Kitchen Garden Mag Feb edition I think)

[Bun]

Thanks buys.  ;D

[wattapain]

Have Bordeaux on standby after loosing all my lottie toms last year!  PLus my darling Ava is building me a roof to go over the top of my toms to try and help (as seen in Kitchen Garden Mag Feb edition I think)

Yes Emma, I saw that article - amazing veg grown by a really sweet looking Italian. Looked a very interesting structure though. But after seeing your pics of your frame tent/fruit cage construction, I'm sure it'll be  easy peasy for your chief handyman!!  ;D ::) ;D

[tim]

Remembering, Emma, that Bordeaux is more prophylactic than curative?? = Tim

[Mrs Ava]

Nope Tim, fully aware of that. ;D

[john_miller]

Tim lost his early potatoes last year in a dry period because the important climactic factor is any situation that can induce result in moisture on the plant leaves, including condensation, overnight. If blight spores are present then they need only a few hours of damp foliage to germinate and infect the plant. Rainfall is not necessary for this condition and can actually wash the spores off the foliage resulting in decreased infection. Infection will only occur if the foliage remains damp long enough after rain. Similarly overhead watering can be done but must occur early enough in the day for the foliage to dry thoroughly by nightfall- indeed this is true for any crop as it can prevent conditions conducive to fungal infections. Covering the crop may either prevent the spores reaching the plant, as may happen with fleece, or prevent condensation forming on the plant, as can happen with a greenhouse.
Blight can overwinter as resting spores on dead tomato or potato vines that are left uncovered. Once phenological conditions in the spring are correct these will release new spores capable of infecting plants. This is the major source of annual re-infestation and emphasises why good hygenie is important. Localised spread from these point sources does not depend upon SW wind distribution as eddies from even a neighbours unburied infected trash can spread the spores.