Is it blight?

[GeorgieP]

Last year I lost all of my tomatoes to blight. This year I've only grown one tomato plant and again, I think it may have blight (I've grown it in completely the other end of the garden to last year). There are flowers yet but the lower leaves are turning yellow with brown spots. Is it the end of the plant and should I just burn it and give up on tomatoes for yet another year?

[Nicos]

Hi there!

Is this what it looks like???

Google Image Result for http://www.plantpath.iastate.edu/pdc/files/Image/Septoria%20leaf%20spot2%20copy.jpg

If so - I'd be tempted to pull off the affected leaves and spray with Bordeaux mixture and see if you can keep the plant alive a little longer for the fruit to develop a bit more.
The alternative is to pick the fruit now and cook with them( are they big enough to pick ??)

Failing that...pull up and burn

Yep...2 bad years on the run for blight I'm afraid...just be glad it's not Ireland in the 1800's and spuds are the only crop you have to feed your family with!

[GeorgieP]

Yes that's what it looks like... Oh dear!!! The plant has no fruit yet, it's being grown outside so a little behind in this weather. One of the potato plants also has similar spotting.

Well that's bye bye to the tomatoes then. I wanted to avoid using Bordeaux mixiture as hear it's not very nice.

What can I do to avoid it in future years?

[Nicos]

Oh dear!
But you're not the only one

It's been a bad year for blight, so I'd burn the plant and try again next year- could be a hot dry summer for all you know!
That's the beauty of growing a bit of everything- some years are good for one type of crop, and bad for another...wouldn't it be helpful to have a crystal ball???
I found my toms grown inside the greenhouse last year didn't get blight- so maybe grow your toms indoors???
The spores are in the soil if affected plant debris is left in the ground- and in the rain water ( although my greenhouse water was collected rainwater- but watered onto the soil and not the plant leaves..so maybe that's a thought???)

...windowsill plants then!!!

[Nicos]

Spuds....cut off the top growth of all the plants and dig up and eat the tubers of the plant which seems to be affected ( check they're not brown/smelly first of course!)

Our spuds are only just affected ( were away for a month and it was too long between spraying) ..so we're munching through about 2lbs of spuds each per day...rolled in butter and freshly chopped chives.......such a hard life

[GeorgieP]

Haha I've just come in after digging up one set of infected spuds to add to the pile we're already eating... Also have some chives in the garden so will try that recipe! I've cut the leaves off another plant which seems to have blight and left the tats in - will dig them up in a few days.
I've got a tiny tom plant inside so maybe I'll keep that in. Last year was the first time we starteed growing the crops so waiting for one good summer.... (Fingers crossed for next year).

[Nicos]

Was it 2006 or 2005 which was stonkingly hot and dry??
That year we tried a couple of garlic and they were fantastic!!. The following year we planted over 50 garlic- the weather was really cr@p and the garlic were a waste of time.....you never can tell can you??
Hope the indoor tom does well...and enjoy the spuds