What's the latest on tomato blight?

[John Yeoman]

How many folk have had tomato blight this year? UK gardeners have suffered it since the mid 19th century but the newsletter HortIdeas tells me US gardeners have just started to worry about tomato blight. (When I mentioned ‘blight’ in a US forum in 2000, folk thought I referred to botrytis.) Is blight as we know it in the UK - Phytophthora infestans - really that new in America?

If you have a blight problem, here’s a tip that works for me. If your greenhouse is full (the best environment for tomatoes), and you have to grow outdoors, put a clear plastic awning over the plants. And water them carefully at the base, keeping the foliage dry. It seems that blight can get a grip only on damp haulm.

A friend in Switzerland lays bare copper wire under her tomato plants. She swears that the plant takes up the copper and becomes blight resistant! (Whether that's truly 'organic' or not, I can't say. )

Certainly, I grew a fine tomato crop one year, untouched by blight, when my neighbours’ plants were rotting. Simply under an awning and without copper wire.

Has anyone tried the awning method?

[nedwina]

Originally Posted by John Yeoman

How many folk have had tomato blight this year? UK gardeners have suffered it since the mid 19th century but the newsletter HortIdeas tells me US gardeners have just started to worry about tomato blight. (When I mentioned ‘blight’ in a US forum in 2000, folk thought I referred to botrytis.) Is blight as we know it in the UK - Phytophthora infestans - really that new in America?

If you have a blight problem, here’s a tip that works for me. If your greenhouse is full (the best environment for tomatoes), and you have to grow outdoors, put a clear plastic awning over the plants. And water them carefully at the base, keeping the foliage dry. It seems that blight can get a grip only on damp haulm.

A friend in Switzerland lays bare copper wire under her tomato plants. She swears that the plant takes up the copper and becomes blight resistant! (Whether that's truly 'organic' or not, I can't say. )

Certainly, I grew a fine tomato crop one year, untouched by blight, when my neighbours’ plants were rotting. Simply under an awning and without copper wire.

Has anyone tried the awning method?

There were some reports of Late Blight outbreaks this year, but not nearly as bad as last season. Which was really bad. And yes, it's the same strain: Phytophthora infestans.

I'm not familiar with the awning method, but spraying copper based fungicides for blight control is practised here.

http://www.ladybug.uconn.edu/documen...0_06-17-10.pdf

[mudhill]

YES i had the blight very early in the season on all my tomato plant,last year i did not have the problem.
every one around here had it also.

the guy that gave me most of my mater plants ,said he had it also,but his girl friend/wife bought some thing at walmart to spray on them and it got rid of the blight,,he did not know what it was,,he said he would look ,but never got back with me.

i am gonna find out what it was,since this was the worse tomato season that i ever had in my gardening life and it has been a long one.

Larry

[John Yeoman]

Originally Posted by mudhill

his girl friend/wife bought some thing at walmart to spray on them and it got rid of the blight,,he did not know what it was,,he said he would look ,but never got back with me.

i am gonna find out what it was,since this was the worse tomato season that i ever had in my gardening life and it has been a long one.

Larry

Larry, it's probable that WalMart was selling some proprietary version of Bordeaux solution, based on copper sulphate. It can prevent a mild attack of blight but has to be sprayed before blight occurs. It can slow the spread of the disease throughout a garden, in my experience, but - in a long hot humid season - is only partially effective. It cannot help a plant that's already showing signs of blight.

[Longtail]

I got it about the time the tomatoes were dwindling. Sprayed for 3-4 weeks but quit(dont like to spray to begin with) and bang, thar it came.

[Tom C]

John north eastern USian's got a big hit in 2009 of late blight. Most of the NE also gets a pretty good frost which interferes with late blight (up to a point).

2009 was a year of the perfect storm as far as weather conditions go to enhance late blight. Washington staters .have similar conditions to you in UK. I'm sure we have some here who will comiserate with you

[mudhill]

Originally Posted by John Yeoman

Larry, it's probable that WalMart was selling some proprietary version of Bordeaux solution, based on copper sulphate. It can prevent a mild attack of blight but has to be sprayed before blight occurs. It can slow the spread of the disease throughout a garden, in my experience, but - in a long hot humid season - is only partially effective. It cannot help a plant that's already showing signs of blight.

like i said,don't know what it was,,but he claims it stopped the problem.

i hate useing chemicals,but next year i'll have to do some thing .

i like my maters and i did'nt have any to freeze but 2 quarts this year.

Larry

[JanR]

I had blight for the first time ever. It was also 2nd wettest spring summer on record. Does anyone know if you can compost the plants that have suffered from blight?

[FailedSlacker]

I think blight hit all the prairie provs. All the toms in Wosley were lost and about 75% here in Regina.

I didn't compost mine. The standard recommendation seems to be to bag them in plastic and dump them.

[Direct Sunlight]

I asked about driving a copper wire into the tomato plant earlier this year, and got no replies on the forum. Have had no blight so never had the occasion to try it myself. My mom heard that tip from a "master gardener" in her area.