Is It Blight?

[Two_Sheds]

Seems to me that with Saudi rapidly running out of oil ...

There are new oil fields to exploit, such as in Alaska
I'm afraid that every last drop of oil on this planet will be drilled, even if it means the total destruction of the environment and the extinction of the polar bear, for example.

[Comfreyfan]

I've had the same problem and have been snipping off infected leaves every morning and evening. Some of the stems have been infected - some I've got rid of, the rest I've decided to leave and take a chance. So far I'm picking tomatoes as they turn and they're ripening ok on the window sill indoors. I considered turning them all into green tomato chutney - but we don't really eat much chutney! So decided to give them a chance and see what happens. It's a real heart breaker though, I think I put far too much effort into my veg - I get very attached

[rustylady]

If it is indeed blight you may find that the tomatoes themselves are already infected. Keep a close eye on them. You may have to forego the red tomatoes and turn them into chutney instead.

[terrier]

The toms look pretty well formed so they should ripen on the vine as they don't need the leaves to ripen. It's hard to see from the pics how bad the leaves were affected but the stems look ok. Every year I get leaves progressively going brown, I just cut them off, anything that isn't affected, I leave alone, just taking off the lower leaves to make watering easier. Now that you have defoliated the vines, at least you don't have to worry about watering them

[Welsh Wizard]

Interestingly, the copper within Bordeaux mixture tends to accumulate in the soil: In longstanding vinyards where spraying takes place year after year the level of soil copper is hugely elevated.

Really Bordeaux mixture should not be viewed as organic at all, given the mining and refining required to produce the copper sulphate in the first place.

The Soil Association should be ashamed of fudging it as "organic": It is viewed as impossible to produce organic potatoes without Bordeaux mix in this country (I have grown my own nicely without spray this year). Is it impossible or is it merely too risky or too inconvienient?

Another point: If producing commercial amounts of organic potatoes without Bordeaux mix in the UK is impossible, what does that say about the longterm population carrying capacity of the UK?

If oil based agriculture stopped how do we feed ourselves? Because I was thinking spuds would be a good staple crop after the oil runs dry, but if there is no oil, there will be no Bordeaux mixture.

Seems to me that with Saudi rapidly running out of oil, the UK might in future see mass starvation if large scale potato growth without fungicide is impossible.

[braders]

Tomato Blight

Evening Grapes
I discovered blight on most of my toms tonight...not happy ...so I went a bit mad pruning off nearly all of the leaves, as far back as I could...pics attached. They all seem free of the black stuff now and the fruit should ripen if the weather forecast is correct...lol. Need a glass of red now I think.

Night all
braders...

[binley100]

Perhaps it was for some other disease then .

[elsie-scot]

Interesting thread, I bought a cheap book today on organic gardening and it mentions bordeaux mixture, doesnt necessary approve it or not. But in same section it suggests that you shouldnt use beer for slugs as it kills off too many other things.

[Rocketron]

By today's date over the past 2 years I have had to bin all my tomato plants, only saving a third of the fruit for chutney.
This year I have used Bordeaux Mixture every 2 weeks since the beginning of July.
I have no signs of blight, despite receiving 7 alerts from Blightwatch.
I know what i shall do next year.

[Alison]

I've considered spraying on many occaisions and prefer to take the risk of not doing so. I know that spuds I buy will have been sprayed but that doesn't mean that I want to be responsible for doing it on my plot. Read up and make the choice yourself but don't be conned into believing that everybody sprays, they don't, but you do spend the summer with a niggling worry at the back of your mind. However, as already said, there's no guarantee that spraying will ward off blight, it will reduce the chances and that's the best you can say.

[Paulottie]

Your choice...... But what Dan says about copper affecting all invertebrate life is true and as I mentioned it doesn't work unless you are really diligent, further to that if your plants are already showing any sign of blight you are too late anyway.

If you are going to spray try covering surrounding exposed soil with paper - that combined with burning plants at the end should reduce amount going into environment a bit.

[WeeGarden]

Thanks for all your views.

To me, the 'organic' way of growing meant that you don't do things that would harm wildlife or environment. On top of that, one of the reasons for growing my own was to reduce the number of chemicals we eat (I won't ever be self sufficient with my 6m2 of patch), and knowing that the veg on our plate hasn't been touched by anything other than water.

But I use soap spray on aphids. I kill caterpillars and eggs. I drown slugs in beer. I guess there has to be some realism, in that if the choice is between spraying, or losing your crop and end up buying something that has been sprayed anyway, even if it was labeled 'Organic', then spraying in my own garden can't be so bad. It's only small scale anyway.

I looked back on the July issue of GYO mag, and in the special tomato section, they advise to spray Bordeaux. In the front of the mag, it states that they will promote methods that doesn't harm wildlife or the environment, and will only specify chemicals where there is no organic alternative.

I've had a thought about it, and my conclusion is, what's good for the GYO mag peeps is good enough for me.

[Two_Sheds]

Blight comes on the wind, so sterilising your soil won't prevent it coming back again next year, unfortunately

[Two_Sheds]

I saw somewhere that it's harmful to the environment

Organic doesn't mean "not harmful".
It means "not synthetic", ie derived from petrochemicals

[vegmandan]

Organic doesn't=SAFE !!!
Nicotine sprays for soil sterilization are "ORGANIC" but DEADLY !!!!
Bordeaux Mixture has only been added to the "Organic" list because it is the only way in which the "Organic" potato growers could ever get a crop to market without suffering blight.
This is my personal pet hate regarding "Organic" stuff and it's relative safety.
Bordeaux Mixture is mainly Copper Sulphate and Lime.
Copper Sulphate is deadly to most soil borne insects and is extremely toxic to Earthworms.
Plus as it is water soluble it naturally ends up in water courses and streams etc. where it is ,yet again extremely toxic to all pond life.
So as far as I'm concerned I would NEVER EVER use Bordeaux Mixture.And I'm not even an Organic Grower.
I am a realist and don't believe everything that I am told about the safety of certain products.
Organic does NOT mean Safe !!!
How on earth the "Soil Association" ...can say that Copper Sulphate meets it's criteria regarding the soil and protecting all it's beneficial organisms is beyond me ,as It will kill most things in it.????
Organic..... Schmorganic !!!
Do some research on Copper Sulphate and I'm sure you'll agree with me that Copper Sulphate has no place in the garden whether you be an Organic grower or not.