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Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: Little Bean on August 22, 2005, 20:51:58

Title: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: Little Bean on August 22, 2005, 20:51:58
Well, blight has appeared on my tomato plants in the back garden  :'(.  After two years of getting away with it, me and Mr Little Bean spent yesterday afternoon rinsing the tomatoes in a Milton fluid solution and stacking them in trays.  Only one fruit was affected (so far), so hopefully the Milton will have slowed the process in the other (green) tomatoes. Although  I suspect will be matching a big batch of chutney in the near future.  I learned this evening too that the tomatoes on the allotments have all been affected too......
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: TEL on August 23, 2005, 06:28:35
Hi LB sorry to hear that.
what dose blight look like
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: plot51A on August 23, 2005, 07:39:31
My sympathies Little Bean having lost all mine this year. Sounds like you've spotted it really early, so hopefully lots of your crop will ripen safely. Best of luck.
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: return of the mac on August 23, 2005, 20:31:13
I think ive got it on my tatties too, but i dont know what to do ??? . Help!?
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: redimp on August 26, 2005, 22:53:21
If it is bad, cut the foliage down when it is dry and burn.  Wait two weeks before harvesting your potatoes.  If it is not bad, you can remove folliage as it becomes infected.  I have not had it but became so paranoid reading these boards (and not bordeauxing) that I have read everything I can find.
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: moonbells on August 29, 2005, 16:56:36
Quote from: TEL on August 23, 2005, 06:28:35
Hi LB sorry to hear that.
what dose blight look like

This, unfortunately.   :( :'(
(http://jane.babblings.org.uk/tomblight1.jpg)

(http://jane.babblings.org.uk/tomblight2.jpg)

Grrr. They were doing so well.  There were a few choice comments yesterday when I found this (Someone told me Sungella were prone to it). Spotted another one going west today, as well as one of the gartenperles (which was touching the infected plant.)  Have plastic bags full of green toms lurking about the kitchen waiting for me to do something with them.  And a couple of carrier bags of tomato haulm...

moonbells
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: Doris_Pinks on August 30, 2005, 16:07:35
Mine are doing the same Moonbells, they were looking sooooooooooo  healthy this year too, thought I had gotten away with it!   :'(
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: tim on September 03, 2005, 08:04:30
moonbells - your affliction seems to have affected the trusses rather than the foliage? Strange?

mac - just cut off the haulms & dispose with care. Wait 2-3 weeks before lifting. The tubers will probably be fine.

Green Tomatoes? They'll ripen slowly indoors over the next month or so.
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: moonbells on September 04, 2005, 22:59:13
Quote from: tim on September 03, 2005, 08:04:30
moonbells - your affliction seems to have affected the trusses rather than the foliage? Strange?

There is some foliage blotching but it's mostly blackening on the stems and the calyxes prior to the whole tomato going rotten.

Got all of them off on Friday night and they're currently sitting in carrier bags about 4' away from me right now, as I didn't get time to sort them this weekend (had to rescue a friend who needed company as her hubbie is away in Europe - it's a hard life as she wanted to go to Kew*!)

Now to ripen the beggars! Have two nice overripe bananas downstairs ready and waiting.

moonbells

*Chihuly exhibition is fascinating, if peculiar!
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: Belle on September 08, 2005, 15:17:31
I've lost all my toms this (my first year) because of this. However before I realised what was going on I stupidly composted some smitten tomatoes.  I have tryed to remove them from the compost bin, but there is only so much rummaging in compost you can do!  If some remain does this mean I cant use the compost.  I have pulled up & burned the plants.    ???
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: westsussexlottie on September 08, 2005, 16:12:38
We lost all our allotment tomatoes to this already. Even if you wash green toms in milton they go black in the end.
The potatoes have it too - but they will be fine - we cut them back to the ground and have burned the foliage. We will lift the tubers in 3 weeks.
So disappointing to lose all the toms after so much effort though.
Title: Re: The dreaded tomato blight
Post by: moonbells on September 08, 2005, 23:23:46
WSL - I reckon that it's the washing process that causes the tomatoes to go rotten, as blight spore germination is triggered by them being wet.  That's why I'm not washing any of mine until they are ripe and ready to be frozen!
Not sure Milton's strong enough to have any fungicidal effect. Least not on spores!

moonbells (who just found three more that were rotting... *sigh*)