New grower, problem with botrytis.

Hello

I am new to growing veggies. I grew in a pollytunnel for the first time this year, everything was going well till mid September when in just a few days I got whacked with what I now know to be botrytis (grey mould).

I know that air circulation would help matters, but all I can do is open both ends of the tunnel, which I did this year and still got hit.

Is there an effective treatment for this problem? I am cautious about using chemicals when I am going to eat the produce, is there something harmless I can use?

If there is, how does one apply it and when?

Thank you for your help.

Richard

 

Hello and welcome to GC. Sorry i don't have an answer for you, but I'm sure there'll be plenty of good advice coming soon.

 

You are right that you need more air circulation, although the fact that this season was so wet (it would help if you put your Location in your profile please ) has not helped. Even with a glasshouse with plenty of ventilation I still get varying degrees of Botrytis-like moulds by the end of the season on things like Cucumbers (I just ignore it / live with it at that stage in the season)

Some plastic tunnels have sides that can be raised (generally they have netting as well as plastic on those sides, so that the structure is still "entire" when the plastic is lifted); dunno if that might be an option for you?

You might like to Google Milk and Botrytis. I've not tried it, but I think it is regarded as a remedy. (Plenty of chemicals you can use of course, but like you I consider them last-resort on things I want to eat - in fact I only use them if the whole crop is threatened).

 

Given the wet summer you did pretty well to avoid botrytis until as late as September. Like Kristen I tend to find botrytis on my cucs in greenhouse and polytunnel later on in the season most years even with good ventilation. The 'milk solution' I've found does help.
This year my late pea crop was really badly infected - worst case ever, but all due to the damp summer.

 

Spray with skimmed milk 10% in water works for my toms

 

When you say skimmed milk, do you mean half cream milk?

When would you spray?

Thank you

Richard

 

no skimmed milk no fat otherwise will sour, get some skimmed milk powder and put two tablespoons in a liter of water

 

Ok, skimmed milk it is.

How about when to spray, and do you spray all over the plants, sort of saturate them?

Thank you for your advice.

Richard

 

Sorry, I also meant to ask how often you spray.

Thanks

Richard

 

yes spray all over plants,i only sprayed once a month worked well, white residue on toms easily washed off