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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Spanner on April 20, 2008, 09:51:10

Title: Potatos and blight - Infected compost
Post by: Spanner on April 20, 2008, 09:51:10
I grew a bunch of tomato plants last year in half barrels inthe garden. Needless to say with the weather the tomatoes got blight and I took them out an destroyed them. The compost has just been sat in the barrels all winter. I was planning on banking up my spuds this year with the spent compost but am I likely to infect the potatoes with blight?
Title: Re: Potatos and blight - Infected compost
Post by: Fork on April 20, 2008, 10:26:38
The blight will only survive in the tomatoes.It does not survive without "flesh" to feed on ...so your comost is fine.

If it worries you still,get rid or sterilise the compost
Title: Re: Potatos and blight - Infected compost
Post by: PurpleHeather on April 21, 2008, 06:20:19
I have been told by several old farmers that blight is always in the soil, it needs the humid conditions to thrive.

The only thing to do is to burn infected plants as soon as they are identified as being infected.

Title: Re: Potatos and blight - Infected compost
Post by: 5rod on April 21, 2008, 08:11:57
I though that bright was  air-born .and with
the right condistion ie. lots of rain and high winds
low temp thats why it travels so fast.if im wrong im sure
there lets us know.
Title: Re: Potatos and blight - Infected compost
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 21, 2008, 08:15:30
It is airborne. It's also in the soil, in infected spuds which have come through the winter. These sprout and spread the spores to infect the new crop.
Title: Re: Potatos and blight - Infected compost
Post by: delboy on April 21, 2008, 08:42:36
Doomed. we are all doomed...
Title: Re: Potatos and blight - Infected compost
Post by: 5rod on April 21, 2008, 10:10:42
 ;D :D ;) :) :o >:( ??? :P :'( :'(
Title: Re: Potatos and blight - Infected compost
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 21, 2008, 20:08:36
Woe, Woe and thrice Woe!