Kitchen Garden Forum

I sprayed all my tomatoes with Bordeaux Mixture last year before there were any signs of blight. I then sprayed a couple of times a week in between the downpours that made up last summer until I had in the full harvest.

I did find a few blight infected leaves on the new growth, but chopped the leaves out immediately (I was checking twice a day) and cut well below the infected ones; the plants were fine, but I may have just been lucky.

I probably spray more than I need, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I had a huge amount of tomatoes last year and am hoping for the same again.

Could someone do a recap on what blight looks like, I'm sure it was discribed last year, I've been to bed since so can't remember,reason for asking I noticed today that there are some brown spots on my Charlottes all the others seem ok.

Bren

Hi Bren

Have a look at the RHS site.

Alan thanks I will have a good look at the plants tomorrow.

Bren

My King Edwards look a bit blighty but no other spuds or
my toms are affected. (I sprayed my toms but it rained).

Are King Teds more susceptible or are they just spent?
I have dug one plant and it had loads of tubers not too
big but a good size. They do have a fair amount of
common scab so could this be why they are not as happy?

Thanks Westi

Hi Westi,
Sadly, I think I'll have lost all my toms by the time I get there tomorrow, as I only had time for a quick look at them yesterday and they look very sick indeed. Needless to say, I'm feeling very despondent. My plot also has clubroot and white rot, so I have to be very careful about what is grown where, with limited space. With the onset of leek moth a couple of years ago and the usual carrot fly, I'm quite close to giving up on veg other than a few salad leaves as it seems that the troops and tools of the enemy far outnumber any defences I have against them!
Vivien

Thanks for mentioning cutting off the tomato leaves as a solution/treatment for tomato blight. We have never had such a wet and cold summer (in the States), and the press has decided this means the End of the Tomato. People in my community plot are panicking about it and suggesting we rip out all big box store bought plants as a preventative. Luckily that voice is a minority, but there hasn't been much advice on non-chemical treatments for blight.

Cheers,
alia

Dear Vivienz, sorry to read that you are having all sorts of problems on your plot. I can imagine it must be so disheartning for you, but please try not to get too down, some of these diseases seem to go as quick as they arrive.

I decided to spray this morning as it might be fine for 24 hours and I found an odd dodgy leaf on Charlotte.

Hi Alia

I cut out affected parts of the plant, but bear in mind I was spraying with Bordeaux Mixture (copper sulphate) before, during and after removing the leaves/stems. Cutting out the affected parts of the plants doesn't usually work, I was just lucky and if I hadn't been spraying, I would have lost the lot, again.

Bordeaux Mixture is sold in England by Garden Organic and is classed as OK for organic gardeners. I have to wash my tomatoes very well, but it works and is well worth using.

I sprayed for the first time last year and had a huge crop. For the previous two years, my entire tomato crop was wiped out within 48 hours; from lots of lovely green tomatoes, to a blackened mess which is what convinced me to get out that sprayer!

It does help if you have good plant hygiene and when pinching out side shoots, removing leaves etc, dispose of the debris in a bin. Removing some of the leaves from under the first truss also helps let the air around the plant.

Our whole site was struck down with blight this weekend. I'm OK, as is Seedling and a couple of others who have sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture, but as for the rest it's a total wipeout.

We're in CV22, so watch out anyone around our area.

If you use Dithane in a tunnel what precautions do you use to avoid breathing in spray?

Does it wash off fruit when they are picked?

thanks

I spray Dithane outdoors but am careful not to spray in a wind and try to keep my face well away from the mist. Guess you could always use a face mask or srap a scarf around your nose if you're worried about ingesting. I try to leave any nearly ripe tomatoes several days before picking and always wash them well in tepid water.

Blight is running riot in our allotments - OX27... Organic and non-organic alike, we have all been affected

For the first time in the 27 years we have lived here I have tomato blight. Spraying with BM but the greenhouse is hot and humid in this very wet summer so I suspect I'm going to lose this battle. But only 1/3rd of toms affected so far...so some hope.