BLIGHT ALERT?

[betula]

Very hot and very wet.

Any blight alerts?

[betula]

[ceres]

Not down here.  There was one full Smith period 14/15 May and a couple of near misses since.  It seems the humidity hasn't been staying high enough for long enough.  The Blightwatch map is showing only 2 incidents reported across the whole country, both in south-west Cornwall.  One is on volunteers and the other is on an outgrade pile.  So far so good. 

[betula]

Thanks Ceres :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

We could be heading for one, but haven't reached that point yet. I don't worry about the odd one, just when we get a string of them as this is what allows the disease to spread across the country.

[amphibian]

It's forecast to be damp and mild for a week or so in a fortnight, I reckon I might spray then, but I am determined to avoid it if at all possible.

[hippydave]

im in nottinghamshire and there are 2 plots that have got blight, they are at the top of our site and im at the bottom but maybe its just a matter of time before i get it, 1 of  the guys opposite also has blight on his greenhouse toms so i gusse im doomed >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

[Kepouros]

I would be very surprised to hear that there is actually blight in Nottinghamshire, since the conditions normally associatedf with its appearance simply haven`t yet existed, and the only reports of it are over 300 miles from Notts.

It is far more likely to be some simple physiological condition, such as those already debated recently.

[Digeroo]

I have grown tomatoes outside for 30 years and only once (last year) lost the lot.  I have decided to try and be positive and remember the years in which I had tomatoes dripping off plants all over the garden.  But it is not easy.

Someone once told me that you should grow tomatoes and runner beans, if one does very well the other does badly.  And I had wonderful beans last year.

[asbean]

Not down here.  There was one full Smith period 14/15 May and a couple of near misses since.  It seems the humidity hasn't been staying high enough for long enough.  The Blightwatch map is showing only 2 incidents reported across the whole country, both in south-west Cornwall.  One is on volunteers and the other is on an outgrade pile.  So far so good. 

Same here, nothing since 15th May.  Not even near misses.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I thought we might have been hitting Smith crieria with the wet yesterday and today, but not even a near miss.

[electric landlady]

According to Blightwatch we have just got ourselves a full Smith period for the first time this year in Nottingham. I'm off to spray with Bordeaux mix this afternoon - don't really want to but my toms are my favourite crop and they are all doing so well I would be gutted to lose them.

I know some are a bit unconvinced about the effectiveness of Bordeaux mixture - all I can say is that last year I checked/sprayed my tomato babies fanatically. My plot neighbours' toms (about 10 feet away from mine, and unsprayed) all died within 4 days of blight appearing in June. Mine managed to keep going until early Sept when I'd got a reasonable crop off them. Unscientific maybe but anything that might halt the spread of blight is worth a try in my book...it is EVIL!! 

[OllieC]

We had a great crop of tomatoes last year, everybody else on the site lost the lot to blight. I sprayed with Bordeaux every time there was a chance during that horrid, long wet bit. The most important thing with Bordeaux mixture is to not try saving any once it's mixed up - throw away or use up whatever's in the sprayer at the end.

[ceres]

I swear by Bordeaux mix too. Last year, it was the frost got my last tomatoes in November when everyone else's around that didn't spray were long gone from blight.

Still no more Smith periods here yet, the humidity isn't staying high for long enough.   

[Robert_Brenchley]

I spoke too soon; I just had notification of a full Smith period. I don't think one is anything to worry about though.

[asbean]

We had a great crop of tomatoes last year, everybody else on the site lost the lot to blight. I sprayed with Bordeaux every time there was a chance during that horrid, long wet bit. The most important thing with Bordeaux mixture is to not try saving any once it's mixed up - throw away or use up whatever's in the sprayer at the end.

So that means the half bottle I found in the shed from last year is no good then ???

[OllieC]

We had a great crop of tomatoes last year, everybody else on the site lost the lot to blight. I sprayed with Bordeaux every time there was a chance during that horrid, long wet bit. The most important thing with Bordeaux mixture is to not try saving any once it's mixed up - throw away or use up whatever's in the sprayer at the end.

So that means the half bottle I found in the shed from last year is no good then ???

It's fine if it's still in powder form - if it's already made up as a solution then it won't work... Can't remember the process but I think the copper oxidises & the ions are no longer available to interfere with the fungus germinating - or something like that.

[Tattieman]

Blight alert in DG11 DG12 and CA1 so that is a big area up here near the solway firth.

[charlie888]

I just got the same message in Leeds, is there anything I should be doing other than keeping fingers crossed (makes typing tricky!)

[shirlton]

Does Dithane do the same as Bordeaux

[OllieC]

Does Dithane do the same as Bordeaux

Yes, it claims to although I've never used it. I like the fact that you can see the residue that Bordeaux leaves & you know it's all rinsed off.