Topic: preventing blight in a greenhouse

[gp.girl]

I'll be getting a new polytunnel for christmas  ;D

It's not very big but will have to go up the allotment cos my gardens titchy. No surprise to anyone but there's blight  :'( up the allotment so whats the best (cheap) way of growing tomatoes and peppers? Thought about strawbales as I can get them delivered.

Any ideas on passive watering systems too, I can't get up there everyday :(

Will try cape gooseberry and melons too but they won't mind the blight  :)

Plus any other suggestions!

[Chrispy]

If you grow them in the ground and mulch them then they will not need much watering.
Blight is windbourne, so it is much less of a problem when growing under cover.

[manicscousers]

We try to water to the roots through a cut off pop bottle, making sure none of the water from the water butts touches the leaves :)

[chriscross1966]

IBC tank for bulk water store, header tank of appropriate size fed by solar-powered fountain pump, autowatering timer that turns on between 3 and 5 am every day, or even earlier.... overflow from header tank back into IBC...... If you can rig guttering on the polytunnel (not the easiest thing I know) back to the IBC then so much the better....

[green lily]

IBC tank for bulk water store, header tank of appropriate size fed by solar-powered fountain pump, autowatering timer that turns on between 3 and 5 am every day, or even earlier.... overflow from header tank back into IBC...... If you can rig guttering on the polytunnel (not the easiest thing I know) back to the IBC then so much the better....


Any chance of you providing a diagram and details of where to buy the bits for that  please? I'd dearly love a system like that. Thanks a lot ;D

[galina]

GP,

Lovely present.  Often greenhouse growing is easier than polytunnel for tomatoes, because it can be ventilated easier and there is less condensation run-off dropping onto the plants.  In a polytunnel, it is better growing the tomatoes next to the path in the centre and leaving the space between them and the walls for other stuff, that doesn't mind dampness.  Makes harvesting the other plants a little more difficult.

Good ventilation is the key to blight prevention, apart from bottom watering, not splashing etc, which have been mentioned before.

Chriscross, what a neat sounding watering system ... a diagram or photo would be appreciated.

[Tee Gee]

Good ventilation is the key to blight prevention, apart from bottom watering, not splashing etc, which have been mentioned before.

That says it all,

I use sunken pots at the base of each plant this gets down to the 'water seeking' roots, I only water the soil when feeding, because the 'feeding roots' are shallower.

See here; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Tomato/Tomato.htm