Blight??

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Westi
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I have had no warnings from Blight Watch but my toms in the shelter are looking like they have been blighted. My self sown around the plot are fine, nothing on the spuds which are right beside these toms but outside the shelter. It's been wet but not that warm to be that humid to trigger an alert. I've only got a mesh shade cloth over the shelter so shouldn't have created a micro climate, but maybe?

Will see, they were also laying down so maybe something else going on, but not that optimistic!

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oldherbaceous
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Dear Westi, it could be that it is a little more humid in the shelter, hence the blight on the tomato plants.

I had to cut down 7 thirty foot rows of potato tops yesterday, they were all covered in blight and i didn't want it to spread on to other peoples plots. I just can't figure out why this one plot has been so badly affected. There was a mixture of varieties, all certified seed and the plot hadn't had potatoes on it last year.....still very annoying, as the late varieties haven't got any decent sized potatoes on them yet....but these things happen... :)
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Pa Snip
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No sign of the dreaded 'B' word on our site yet

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.

OH you make an interesting point about the possible micro climate humidity.
I have heard people talk of covering potatoes when blight warnings apply but surely that also promote a possible humid area.

The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.

At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
Westi
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Oh well then - out they go!! They were touching the top so the spores would have easily got through to them.

Not that surprised considering the weather. All in all, being a challenging year to date, but will count the rewards and forge on!

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Not had any more blight warnings here yet. Took a close look at my outdoor tomatoes again yesterday when I sideshooted them again and they seemed fine, but we,ve had so much rain and then sunshine that longer term I'm not optimistic.
Westi
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Blight indeed - all around the site, everyone has been cutting down the foliage. My tomatoes are gone, the last of the first earlies & one row of the 2nd badly affected so dug the spuds, as the brown tissue damage was right at soil level so heading for the tubers. The other row of 2nd early I just cut down.

My Cara only mildly affected so snipped off the affected leaves & gave them a copper spray. My self sown cherry tomatoes are totally unaffected, but gave them a little spray as a precaution. We all had a topic to discuss though over the fence though!

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Primrose
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Oh don,t mention the B word. :x I checked my tomatoes today and found one of the tumblers, already bearing the first ripening red tomatoes has several affected stems. I have removed them and sprayed all my plants but fear I will lose them. Strangely I haven,t received any blight warnings for this area for a couple of weeks. Am I supposed to go i to the blight warning website and report it?

Ps Snip. Any sign of blight in your area?
Westi
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I've had no blight warnings either Primrose, except for very early in the season. I'm not sure about reporting, but expect we probably should so they can monitor any changes.

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Primrose
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Well I would have tried to report it but the site doesn't like my user name or my password :(
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Pa Snip
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Primrose wrote:Oh don,t mention the B word. :x

Ps Snip. Any sign of blight in your area?



Fingers crossed, no signs as yet.
I also have received no blight warnings yet we have had weather decidedly suitable for its spread.
I am not placing much faith in the warning system to be honest

The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.

At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
PLUMPUDDING
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We rarely get blight here. I've seen it on outdoor tomatoes so grow them in the greenhouse and can't remember the potatoes ever getting it. It is probably too cold here this year (5° last night), and the garden isnt near any others that grow fruit and veg so we don't seem to be affected.
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Eek - I've just had to sacrifice 2 of my tomato plants (cornabel) in one of my raised bed as they were showing serious signes of blight. A couple of others show some suspicious black marks on some of the stems... My mother told me to get rid of the infected leaves and keep the fruits...
Having said that these Cornabel plants always looked a bit droopy and less strong than all the other varieties I am growing (but I am maybe just trying to reassure myself here...)
The slugs (on my radishes & salad) and now that. I wonder what else is in store... :?
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Westi
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A long time ago there was an article (in KG I think but with my addiction could be any garden magazine), anyway, it showed how to build a DIY shelter for tomatoes from canes & plastic. It had 3 sides of plastic and also sloping roof of plastic that was longer than the drop to run the rain off and away from the plant. Now I know you would be in trouble if the rain & spores came in the open side despite a big overhang, but the story is my old neighbour at lottie constructed these for her tomatoes & while I lost all of mine her's survived & matured.

Anyone without a greenhouse or polytunnel at their allotment or back garden devised something that could work? Just a thought I'm having with my enclosure which is polycarbonate sheets around the edges but I just had shade cloth on the top. If I redesigned & moved it, but put a plastic sheet over the tomato bit with a drip feed system for them, would the spores still blow in or sneak through the ground to their bit? Take into consideration my knowledge of Blight is limited even if the effect is pretty catastrophic.

Westi
PS: Just wish they would make a decision about the site staying or going so I could invest in something permanent! :evil:
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Pawty
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I've just removed 3 tomato plants from the allotment .... I'm not the first. My lotty neighbour had to take up all his potatoes :( .

I suspect the remaining plants will also have to go... Once it starts ..... Although none of my potato plants have shown any signs (yet). They're just really really tall.

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I've not lifted any potatoes yet, but all mine are extremely tall or have flopped over under the weight of their foliage this year like yours Pawty. I'm hoping that they have put some of their energy into the tubers as well.
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