Is It Blight?

[Peppertom]

Hi

I have removed all the leaves of some plants - but now i notice that the brown spots are on other plants (which seem to have appeared after heavy rain)

I really am at a loss - I have searched picture but cant seem to find anything the same.

So I have attached a photo to see if people have got any ideas.

thanks for all help.

I am pretty sure it was blight, i have dug up my potatoes and some of them are okay but a lot of them are split and scabby - quite disapointed.

I have thrown away the plants (not composted) but do you know if i can use the compost again?

thanks

[Zucchina]

I think I have blight!
I've just pulled up my entire row of Rockets - the foliage had gone a bit yellow in parts and there were small brown spots dotted on some of the leaves (mainly at the bottom of the plants, and they never got round to flowering), as I was digging up the potatoes about 25% of the crop had gone mushy and black in areas. Some of the larger potatoes are absolutely fine, others have quite a scabby appearance. I've cut through them but the potatoes are perfect inside.
The leaves weren't completely covered in spots - I would say speckled here and there, but the state of some of the potatoes leads me to believe it's blight? Can I save the rest of the crop if I start spraying now? I've just bought some Dithane fungicide, and the instructions say to start spraying in early July. Should I wait until then or will that be too late? It's all very confusing!

[SarzWix]

I am pretty sure it was blight, i have dug up my potatoes and some of them are okay but a lot of them are split and scabby - quite disapointed.

I have thrown away the plants (not composted) but do you know if i can use the compost again?

thanks

The compost could maybe be used for something none-potato-related like lettuces or something?

[SarzWix]

I think I have blight!
I've just pulled up my entire row of Rockets - the foliage had gone a bit yellow in parts and there were small brown spots dotted on some of the leaves (mainly at the bottom of the plants, and they never got round to flowering), as I was digging up the potatoes about 25% of the crop had gone mushy and black in areas. Some of the larger potatoes are absolutely fine, others have quite a scabby appearance. I've cut through them but the potatoes are perfect inside.
The leaves weren't completely covered in spots - I would say speckled here and there, but the state of some of the potatoes leads me to believe it's blight? Can I save the rest of the crop if I start spraying now? I've just bought some Dithane fungicide, and the instructions say to start spraying in early July. Should I wait until then or will that be too late? It's all very confusing!

Have a look at this Pests and Diseases Image Viewer : Diseases
and see if any of the images look like your potatoes.

You can start spraying your plants any time that blight is a risk.

[Amberlilly]

Container spuds

My aunt has got blight in her container spuds and she is 3 floors up! Can she re-use the compost or is it contaminated?

[di]

Sorry...I promise I have read from start to finish,but still left a little unsure if ours are deffo blighted or not,so if someone could have a quick look at piccies & say what you think I'd be ever so grateful!
Just to say,the yellowy leaves are all mainly at the bottom of the plant.

[SarzWix]

Have a look at this Di Pests and Diseases Quick Reference : Target spot (early blight)
it looks a bit like that I think? If it is then the advice seems to be to remove affected foliage and spray with fungicide (Bordeaux mixture is allowed if growing organically, or Dithane if not) to prevent it spreading.

[di]

I did try to look at that link yesterday,but couldn't get the size up.
I'll be off up there in a bit...good to know I don't need to get rid of all the foliage,still a chance of the tatties growing a little more!
*wondering if it's worth wandering to the hardware store for Bordeaux.
heers Sarz...although not great news,a little happier than I was last night!

[SarzWix]

Tattieman did say that potato growers usually aren't too worried about Early Blight, he says that the potatoes can be kept growing through it, so much better news than it being Late Blight

[Matt.]

I think I have blight!
I've just pulled up my entire row of Rockets - the foliage had gone a bit yellow in parts and there were small brown spots dotted on some of the leaves (mainly at the bottom of the plants, and they never got round to flowering), as I was digging up the potatoes about 25% of the crop had gone mushy and black in areas. Some of the larger potatoes are absolutely fine, others have quite a scabby appearance. I've cut through them but the potatoes are perfect inside.
The leaves weren't completely covered in spots - I would say speckled here and there, but the state of some of the potatoes leads me to believe it's blight? Can I save the rest of the crop if I start spraying now? I've just bought some Dithane fungicide, and the instructions say to start spraying in early July. Should I wait until then or will that be too late? It's all very confusing!

Don't waste your time spraying the tops are just dying back. I have rocket that look just as you describe and its because they are ready and I've been harvesting for the past week. I get the odd mushy one but thats the seed as far as I can tell.

Get digging them out and enjoying your crop!

[di]

Forgive me if I'm several weeks/months behind...tis normal for me...but has anyone else heard that Bordeaux is the latest victim of the wonderful EEC?

[snohare]

Early Blight Warning

Being unusually organised for once I am signed up to Blightwatch. I had completely forgottten this, so the other day I was surprised to get a text warning to say there was a full Smith period in progress in my area. Today I received another warning - same weather, very warm and muggy, almost on the point of raining all day long.
What I want to know is, if (when) early blight does attack our tatties down at the allotment, what is the recommended thing to do, organically speaking ? I know that there are people who swear by diluted milk (50/50 with water) as an antifungal prophylactic, but if they get infected is it just a case of chopping the haulms off and waiting three weeks as with late blight ?
Tattieman, where art thou, we have need of you...

[Sunbeam]

I thought that if you got blight then the only solution was to dig them up and burn them - I would be interested in hearing if there are any less drastic solutions

[SarzWix]

Snohare, Early Blight isn't the same thing as Late Blight. The blight warnings you are getting are for Late Blight conditions.
You can spray your plants with Bordeaux Mixture (copper fungicide) if you can still get it which is considered organic, or Dithane 945 (not organic) as a preventative measure as soon as you get the warning. These sprays will not get rid of blight once you have it, but may stop it taking hold, or spreading.

If you prefer not to spray, then the warning is a notice to check your plants over thoroughly as often as possible (daily!). If you see any signs of blight on the foliage, remove it immediately and dispose of it safely. Keep checking the plants, keep removing foliage if necessary, until/unless it seems to be moving to the stems or getting out of control. In which case remove the whole of the top of the plants, and wait for 2 - 3 weeks before digging up the potatoes on a dry day, and discarding any which seem affected.

[tattieman]

I have to say that I don't know of any organic method. The only thing you can s
do is follow SarzWix instructions and hope for the best. Even if your crops look healthy I would spray them.