Tomato blight in polytunnel - strategies for next year?

[kathyd]

Hi. Yes, all my toms in the polytunnel had got a nasty attack of blight when I checked this afternoon, and have now been ripped out viciously in a fit of pique. I'm not sure what this means for next year though? Can I still plant toms in there, in a different place? Will the blight affect peppers and aubergines too? Is there any way to clean the soil up? Which are the most blight resistant varieties? Definitely feeling a bit fed up with it all now, it seems to be one thing after another at the moment .

[redser]

I read blogs and one in particular of a veteran organic grower. Retired now but she used to grow commercially. She says it has been the worst year in her 32 years of growing tomatoes. She's been eating them for ages mind you but she is a bit of a tomato guru. I think there is some solace to take from that.
Next year I am only going to early sow and bring on 2 proven early croppers (still to be decided). The rest will be sown mid-march for a main crop. I'll have it in the back of my mind to do like potstubsdustbins did and stop one or some with few strusses to try and start eating earlier. As for blight, I dont really know Try control ventilation better maybe?? Use seaweed tea for stronger plants?

[Nicos]

Tis the 2nd year we've lot all ours too.
Just one of those years ( again!) I suppose *sigh

-here's a rather boring/interesting list of disease resistant toms...

Tomato: Disease Resistance Table

The only one I've been aware of is Ferline...and that's not in the list!...American site I know, but some varieties might be available over here!

[kathyd]

Thx for the seaweed suggestion redser, I might give that a go. Don't think I can bring more ventilation into the tunnel though - already got double doors at both ends, and a ventilation skirt right along the south side, all left open day and night at the moment . Maybe if I grow the plants 'properly' by pinching them out, they won't get so overcrowded and may get on better though .

Nicos - they do say misery loves company don't they, and that's made feel better, sorry... . Thx for the list, I'll scrutinise and see what I can find for next year.

[VirginVegGrower]

Blight is not known to overwinter in the UK but for your area of France, I could not say. Could you ask locals?

[kathyd]

Hi VVG - I thought blight stuck around in the soil, which is why you can't grow potatoes there for 3 years or more after you've had it? Or am I mixing that up with something else...

[rustylady]

Blight spores only survive on vegetable matter, e.g. leaves or fruit. This is why blighted foliage and fruit should be binned or burnt, not composted. With potatoes, I suppose there is always the danger of leaving a few in the ground and if the blight has got to them it could affect the future crop.

[kathyd]

Ah OK thanks - I'll try to make sure I get rid of everything then, and hopefully we can start with a clean slate next time . I had visions of not being able to plant anything in the tunnel next year! And all the outdoor toms got blight like the potatoes, so things were looking decidedly naff. Although it did persuade my OH that maybe we needed to use our very ugly 'conservatory' to grow our toms instead - so there's always a silver lining eh?!

[Shadylane]

Blight spores only survive on vegetable matter, e.g. leaves or fruit. This is why blighted foliage and fruit should be binned or burnt, not composted. With potatoes, I suppose there is always the danger of leaving a few in the ground and if the blight has got to them it could affect the future crop.

I thought it only survived on living plant matter. So dead plants should be able to be composted (??)