Blight?

Hi,
I'm assuming this is blight am I correct in my assumption? If it is can someone explain what blight is and how you get it! This will be the second year in a row I've had a trailer full of rotten tomatoes go to the tip
Thanks
Jen

 

Sorry, but that does look like late blight.

Have you signed up for email alerts from FAB/Blightwatch? and got some Bordeaux Mixture ready to spray in the event of an alert plus tried growing at least one variety of 'blight resistant' tomato as part of your crop?

 

Thanks for the reply - boo hiss...I've never used Bordeaux Mixture and I'm not sure we have a blight watch in France but I'll check that out. Would it be worth spraying now or would it be better just to pull them all out and dispose of? We were thinking about getting a polytunnel to grow them in next year but I've read that won't help with blight either. So horrible to just watch a crop of tomatoes go from good to bad - some are even almost ready for eating.

 

Applying Bordeaux Mixture is a preventative measure rather than a retrospective treatment.

 

Well might as well wait and buy some fresh next year Thanks. I'll ONLY be growing blight resistant next year - I'll have to check out best varieties. The first two years I grew tomatoes no problems this year and last a disaster.

 

I usually spray at the very first sign, I dont like plastering the plants in this gunk before I have to.

I usually get a decent crop by that method until the weather gets too bad to worry anymore.

 

Burn all your infected material, don't compost it Jenny, it's a fungus that will get much worse if it overwinters on your plot.

Don't mind what Pete said, spray with Boardeaux mixture as a matter of course, it washes off and won't get into the crop

 

I've only tried one, 'Ferline'. Seems to show a certain amount of resistance, but B/M is the best bet

 

If also growing potatoes check them for blight and make sure none are left in the ground to act as hosts for overwintering blight.

 

The potatoes were lifted a couple of weeks ago they were fine and I'm confident I've got them all out. I've just read about blight on the RHS site and it makes for rather depressing reading. My tomatoes are all around the place none growing in soil where potatoes have been before so I'm assuming wind borne infection rather than anything to do with the potatoes (that make me feel a bit better somehow). I've noted 'Ferline', mains watering and B/M in my diary.
Many thanks
Jen

 

I've always thought blight was spread by wind bourne spores.

If it wasn't you would probably never get it in the first place.

I grow spuds as well as toms and I usually get blight at some point during the late summer, I then spray at the first signs, it does stop it becoming full blown.

Its never spread to my spuds though, a good airflow around the plants helps a lot in damp weather.

 

Wind bourne and in the soil, splash back from rain can get them onto the plants

 

If that is the case then once you get blight you will never get rid of it until you stop growing susceptible plants.
It could explain why up until about 10yrs ago I didn't even know what it looked like, despite growing toms from the late 60s.

 

Trailer load of my blighted tomatoes...more to add tomorrow. Zigs you're scaring me that means it's everywhere! Sometimes I think I should stick to growing flowersso much easier me thinks.