Grow Your Own Magazine

Alison Adams · #1 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 10:22 AM

Hi all,
I still have some green tomatoes and am wondering if there is anything I can do to prevent them getting blight - some of the crop is already affected, what I would like to know is does that mean they are all doomed, so admit defeat, dont waste time trying. Or perhaps whilst there are no obvious signs of damage could I bottle/chutney the green ones ? Would removing foliage help to get the spores away from the fruits, or is the damage done even if I cant see it yet... And so on.
I hate the thought of dumping them all in the bin, but I can be brave if I have to !
Ali

Capsid · #2 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 10:43 AM

Once you've got it there is little chance you can save the plant. I recommend picking the unaffected tomatoes and then burning the remainder or if your council have industrial composters then put the them in the garden waste bin.

There are plenty of recipes for green tomatoes, I curried mine.

jess63 · #3 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capsid

Once you've got it there is little chance you can save the plant. I recommend picking the unaffected tomatoes and then burning the remainder or if your council have industrial composters then put the them in the garden waste bin.

There are plenty of recipes for green tomatoes, I curried mine.

I wouldn't put in in the council composters because they share that round to different allotments and they get it then

HayleyB · #4 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 01:00 PM

I gave up with my lot I'm still ripening in the window and some have gone red that way, out of the ones I've saved if any remain green I'll make a relish with.

zazen999 · #5 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jess63

I wouldn't put in in the council composters because they share that round to different allotments and they get it then

Yes, but the council composters get up to amazing temperatures which kills the spores.

MaureenHall · #6 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 01:59 PM

Pick the green ones now and make chutney a.s.a.p. I made the mistake of saving a few of the biggest green ones hoping to be able to ripen them, but after a few days the dreaded blight patches appeared on them so they were wasted. Could have had a couple more jars of chutney from them!!

Alison Adams · #7 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 02:40 PM

Thanks for all the helpful replies. As it seems it is okay to cook with them before the obvious signs appear, I shall start looking out for recipes at once ! Curried is a good idea...

Vixen218 · #8 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 03:36 PM

I have just made chutney out of 3lbs of my green toms that hadn't ripened and got a total of 3.5 litres of the stuff and will be leaving them to mature for two months so they will be ready for christmas, although it smells good enough to eat now

Rocketron · #9 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 06:58 PM

Pick them then keep them somewhere dark, preferably with a ripening piece of fruit(bananas are best), they will turn red.

Capsid · #10 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alison Adams

Thanks for all the helpful replies. As it seems it is okay to cook with them before the obvious signs appear, I shall start looking out for recipes at once ! Curried is a good idea...

This is the curry recipe I tried, I froze what I couldn't eat.

Green Tomatoes with Indian Spices Recipe | Recipezaar

MaureenHall · #11 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocketron

Pick them then keep them somewhere dark, preferably with a ripening piece of fruit(bananas are best), they will turn red.

Sorry, I did that and mine didn't turn red, just blotchy brown! I think once the blight is in the system, that's it, that's why I suggested using them all up as soon as possible.

lottie dolly · #12 (**permalink**) 27-09-2008, 10:53 PM

we had the blight at our lottie,i took of all the large green toms,within a couple of days the had got it,a carrier bag 3/4 full,so all had to be burned,i was cross,some of them were san marzano and a it had a fairly big heavy crop,but there you go,had no choice.

DaveC · #13 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 07:30 PM

I think I may have blight on my plants but would like confirmation. The plants, all in a grow bag started dying from the bottom. The leaves have all wilted and it is steadily creeping up the plant although at the moment the top halves of the plants look healthy.

The tomatos in the affected area are turning a darkish black.

I havent had blight on my plants before so any help would be appreciated

Thanks

lottie dolly · #14 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 07:39 PM

sounds like davec

Capsid · #15 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 07:43 PM

Yes, sounds like blight.

Did the tomatoes look like this?

DaveC · #16 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 08:12 PM

Yes Mark

They look just like that and some red ones are patchy like that

Capsid · #17 (**permalink**) 30-09-2008, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveC

Yes Mark

They look just like that and some red ones are patchy like that

Then it's blight I'm afraid.

DaveC · #18 (**permalink**) 01-10-2008, 06:03 PM

Thankyou all for your help, i will chop the plants down and burn them to be safe.

They are in grow bags which obviously need disposing of but should I not grow them in the same place next year?

Thanks

Capsid · #19 (**permalink**) 01-10-2008, 06:37 PM

We discussed this in some detail in this thread. You should be OK to grow them in the same place, the important thing is to clear up any traces of the plants and fruit as this is where the spores will reside not in the soil, so you should be OK to re-use the compost.

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