My toms are dying....

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by robgil, Aug 11, 2011.

  1. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    After years of not even knowing what blight looked like I've had problems with it for the last five years or so.

    I'm waiting for it to rear its ugly head again this year, as it surely will, just as soon as the weather conditions are right.

    It will blow in from miles around once conditions are right for it, I believe.
    So, I'm not suggesting composting the infected stuff, but other than that there is not much the amateur can do other than spray before it hits or at the very first sign.

    Dai if you put plant material out for collection in the wrong bin around here you stand the chance of not getting your rubbish collected at all.

    So its garden waste bin or bonfire for mine at the end of the season.
     
  2. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    Well I was under the impression that the spores survive the winter either in the ground or on dead plant material.
    If not how do they get through the winter?
     
  3. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Yes blight spores can survive overwinter in the soil, in decaying plant material or in tubers left behind. If you remove as much of the plant material as possible and don't grow potatoes/tomatoes on that patch for a couple of years you will be OK in the future.
     
  4. robgil

    robgil Gardener

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    I read on tinternet (so it must be true lol) that it is ok to compost blight toms providing you cover with unblighted material to keep the spores from becoming airborne. I also read that frost kills them.
     
  5. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Theres nothing to stop you composting it rob, just don't use you compost anywhere near next years tomatoes/potatoes. Personally I wouldn't take the chance, after losing this years crop I am surprised you think its worth taking the chance :dbgrtmb:
     
  6. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

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    Blight's got my tomatoes for the last 2 years and what surprised me last year in particular was the speed with which it destroyed the plants, almost on a par with them being frosted.
     
  7. Rootball

    Rootball Gardener

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    Nasty business - ruined my whole crop last year.
     
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