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I am growing tomatoes outdoors, I have been successful for the past two years but the weather was much kinder last year, with all this rain a few fruits have rotted - but what is really worrying me is a couple of my Garden Delight variety are starting to develop darkish/blackish stems. I don't know what to do? is this the dreaded Blight I hear so much about? thinking of trying to cover them to keep some of the rain off but will this just make things worse? :-\  I have spent so long nurturing these plants willing to try anything - help please :'(

If the stems are going black, then it sounds like blight to me, and unfortunately there is nothing you can do other than get rid of the plants as quickly as possible and burn them/bin them, don't compost them.

If you still have healthy plants, you could try spraying with bordeaux mix which doesn't cure, only coats the plants to make it harder for the blight spores to penetrate....the only problem is, with all this rain, you will have to do it regularly!

Sorry about your toms.  :'(

Thanks EJ-Emma. I did not see earlier posting re Potato/Tomato blight,(been on hols not caught up yet) it seems a lot of us are suffering with blight this year, but many thanks for the advice nothing for it I will just have to pull 'em out and burn the lot! :'( :'(

Surely it's only necessary to cut off the haulms, leaving the tubers 3 weeks before lifting if they are Main crop, but lifting as you will with Earlies. Certainly don't discard any usable potatoes.

I must say that, with all this rain, spores may have got through to affect the keeping quality of the Mains.

Tim I think it's tomato blight rather than blight on potatoes!

Tim - I think you've just had a blond moment!  :o

(Nice to know that even YOU are not totally immune!  :-*)