Tomato blight

[Anne]

For the third year running I have had blight on my gardeners delight, sungold and marmande. As I grew them in grow bags, should I get rid of the compost or is it safe just to scatter around the garden. I may just have another go next year. It is so disappointing as I have had no trouble for about 20 years. Any idea why this has happened? I would be grateful for any advice. Many thanks.

[Catherine]

Hi Anne
Just seen your post on tomato blight.

I have tried to grow Marmand for two years now and still have had blight. The first year I grew in the polytunnel borders, this year I grew in big tubs but still no luck. Dont know why this happened but we lost all our tomatoes last year to blight and we grew four different kinds. Think it has just been bad couple of years for blight. I have never sprayed but will be doing so this year if I decide to grow toms again. I also planted some potatoes in tubs for christmas and lost those as well.

[Mike Vogel]

Anne, I would be wary of reusing the compost, as the blight spores survive in soil and therefore probably in your compost.

You might reuse the compost for a houseplant or other veg in a pot if the plant or veg is unaffected by blight. Or maybe bake the compost in an oven, but I don't know the pros and cons of that.

HNY
mike

[pongeroon]

has anyone got any idea how long tomato blight spores will be viable in the soil?

[Geoff]

I grew my outdoor tomatoes last year in the same bed as the year before even though I had some blight late in that season. I watered the soil twice with Jeyes Fluid and sprayed during the season once with copper and once with Dithane and had no trouble.
Remember using Jeyes Fluid as a soil sterilizer is no longer approved but here are the instructions courtesy of Johnboy from an old tin:
Soil Sterilisation.
Application.
Fork or rake into the soil a solution of 12ml Jeyes to 5litres of water. Leave covered for a week, then uncover and turn soil. DO NOT PLANT ANYTHING FOR AT LEAST 6 WEEKS AFTER TREATING.
Timing.
May be done at any convenient time

I use old Grobag compost in the flower garden for soil improvement and to mulch acid lovers such as Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias, Magnolias and heathers and don't see any danger in that as long as they are away from the vegetables. If you are worried you could empty them into a heap, treat it with Jeyes Fluid and leave it to stand for the six weeks before spreading.

[Primrose]

I hadn't realised Jeyes Fluid was no longer available. I always used to use it for sterilising compost. I think if you want to grow tomatoes again this year it might be a good idea to start preventive spraying with Dithane, or some other fungicide before the first fruits appear and I wouldn't recommend using the same compost. I've always preferred to grow organically but after losing my entire tomato crop of 25 plants one year I've decided it's better to spray than to lose them all. Last year I found that Sungold and Tumbling Tom (yellow) were the most blight resistant in our garden

[Johnboy]

Hi Primrose,
Jeyes Fluid is still available as a disinfectant but no longer holds a licence as a soil sterilant. Strictly speaking it is now illegal to use it to sterilize soil and I now only use it to sterilize my tunnels. (tongue-in-cheek statement)
JB.

[garden_serf]

So JB...and whilst washing down the inside of the tunnel/greenhouse it is almost impossible to stop it going all over the soil isn't it, hey...which is a shame!!

[Primrose]

I'm intrigued about the technical difference between a "sterilant" and a "disinfectant". Can anybody enlighten me please.

[Johnboy]

Hi Primrose,
Basically with Jeyes fluid there is no difference between the two but there are soil sterilizers that are not disinfectants.
Jeyes Fluid no longer has a licence as a soil sterilizer but can be used generally around the house as a disinfectant but not to sterilize soil.
JB.

[garden_serf]

Its all on trust that you will not pollute the soil, which I agree with to a large extent. As long as we can still produce what we need to eat.

[Johnboy]

Hi GS,
But can you? Even Commercial Organic outlets use pesticides. Europe is trying to be too squeaky clean and when prices rise dramatically people will wonder what has hit them!
I am a pragmatic gardener and do not use anything untoward unless there is no other way out. I refuse to lose a crop for somebody else's principles.
JB.

[Smurfy]

Hi guys, i'm a new member so forgive me if this has been asked elsewhere.

I suffered from terrible blight last year and lost all my tomatoes (about 6 different varieties were all affected). I asked my husband to help with the clearing up and as he's a non gardener and knew no better he put some of the infected plants into the compost heap. Will the compost still be safe to use or am i better to get rid of all the compost and start again from scratch?

[garden_serf]

Hello Smurfy, Welcome.
I am no expert but I expect you could use the compost somewhere.
But not on other plants in the tomato family (In family or close cousins include: potatoes, eggplants, chili peppers, aubergine).
There are also some flowers.

Someone else will add more info no doubt.