Blight??

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Johnboy
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Hi Geoff,
I think you took the right action. If you handle the dug spuds very carefully and store in the dark the skins will toughen-up as they are.
We have had some blight on some Maris Bard which were left in on a dig to use basis. Have never had blight on early potatoes before and I have always used the dig to use only method with earlies. Main crop I dig and store.
JB.
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Tony Hague
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Geoff wrote:Signs of blight on my maincrop Picasso last week so I sprayed with a couple of sachets of Dithane I found on the shelf. I know you are supposed to spray before it shows but it didn't seem to be stopping it spreading so yesterday I dispatched all the tops to the bonfire then dug the lot up. There are plenty of Potatoes, I'll weigh them when they are dry and I bag and grade them, but it is obvious the skins aren't mature. The question is, when this happens do you do as I have done or just remove all the top growth and leave them in the ground for a bit to toughen up as I have sometimes read? I was worried that the showery weather could still wash spores off the surface down onto the Potatoes. I never got a blight warning but there are dots on the map not too far away.


Now, I thought that the reason for removing the tops, then leaving a couple of weeks before lifting was to avoid the tubers coming into contact with the blight spores on the surface of the soil, crop debris etc during lifting. Although, I doubt the idea would stand being put to the test, and would probably have done as you did.
Westi
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I cut mine down & leave them in the ground usually, they don't get anymore blight normally but there is more slug damage.

These are my self sown tomatoes, little wee cherry toms & I have 9 of these bushes, all blight free! They are the only tomatoes that survived the early blight on lottie & I don't have one red tom except these this year as thought they were tougher to live outside, but do have the yellow & black ones in the greenhouse at home.

Westi
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Westi
robo
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Two days ago I thought my tomatoes had blight but they seem to be ok just a few brown and dead leaves I don't think they liked my home made feed probably not diluted enough
Beryl
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Strange how some on our site have had their tomatoes wiped out but others are looking very healthy. So far, fingers crossed mine are Okay. I am picking now, Cherola and Fandango. Potatoes have not been affected so far for anyone that I know of.

Beryl.
Barry
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I have lost whole rows of potatoes, while tomatoes next to them have lost a few leaves, but are otherwise OK.

I thought that once blight hit a plant that was it, but my tomatoes seem to be fighting back, which is odd, since none of them are anti-blight varieties.

Blight this year was also weird; although we were warned that Smith periods had occurred, blight only became evident several weeks later. Blight normally kills everything within days.

I thought, like being pregnant, you couldn't be a little bit blighted, but this seems not to be the case this year. A light cold, rather than flu!
Catherine
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All our potatoes were really healthy and then last week it looked not so good and then very quickly bad so we have cut back everything. Glad we didn't do tomatoes
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Tony Hague
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Perhaps what you have is early blight, Alternaria solani, as opposed to late blight, Phytophthora infestans. It is generally less catastrophic.
Catherine
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Early or late it still looks like it has killed our plants. Do I dig them up or leave them in the ground, that is the question.
Barry
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Yes, I could very well have early blight, since it is so slow moving on established plants, killing them at snail's pace, rather than over about three days, which is what usually happens.

I'm a bit worried about the forecast for the next two days, with 90% hummity for around 48 hours forecast down here in the SE. Blight heaven!!!
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Johnboy
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Hi Westi,
May I suggest that you save some of your Wee cherry Tomato seeds as they seem to be really profuse and healthy and perhaps some other members may like to beg a favour from you.
sincerely,
JB.
Westi
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Hi Johnboy!

Happy to, that's the plan! They have been coming up for a few years now, so without any knowledge I'm making the assumption that each generation would build in some more resistance. The taste nice, shame they are so tiny but some are bigger, and potentially if they were treated nice they could get bigger, but these get nothing and are on the edge of a path that is fairly compacted. Personally I think they would be good in hanging baskets as they have a droopy habit.

Be good to put them to the test in other areas & conditions. Of course then we will have to name them! SUGGESTIONS????

Westi
Westi
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oldherbaceous
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Sweet little Westi.... :)
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.

There's no fool like an old fool.
robo
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How about tiny treats
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Johnboy
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Nice one OH. That sounds perfect!
JB.
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