Is this tomatoe blight and tips to prevent it happening again

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Matthew Rosen-Marsh, Aug 18, 2021.

  1. Matthew Rosen-Marsh

    Matthew Rosen-Marsh Apprentice Gardener

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    This was my second year growing tomatoes. I love their smell and taste. Before leaving on holiday for a week, I noticed some dark patches on the stems of my tomatoes. I cut away stuff so leaves weren't touching the ground and implemented other advice about caring for tomatoes. I came back to find whole bushes dying as per the photos. I assume this is tomatoe blight?: IMG_20210816_161114224_HDR.jpg IMG_20210816_160712882_HDR.jpg IMG_20210816_160659243_HDR.jpg

    The above were bushes planted against a southfacing fence in a northfacing garden. I have now cut them down as there didn't seem any hope.
    I have now found some similar dark patches on tomatoes on the westfacing fence IMG_20210816_164115085.jpg IMG_20210816_160706273_HDR.jpg

    Is there anything I can do now and in the future to prevent this happening?

    Many thanks

    Matthew
     
  2. NigelJ

    NigelJ Total Gardener

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    Growing outside there is not much more you can do. Blight spreads up from the warm damp south west every year. This website BlightSpy | AHDB forecasts when conditions are good for blight to spread. Drier areas are less prone to blight, try not to wet the leaves as blight spores require a wet surface to infect the plant.
    Look for blight resistant varieties of tomato.
    Best thing would be to grow in a greenhouse as this definitely delays things. I no longer try and grow outdoors due to blight. In Essex I could get away with it most years.
     
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    • Tomhip

      Tomhip Gardener

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      Like Nigel I have found it inevitable that tomatoes outside will get blight they need to be undercover
      Better luck next time
       
    • JWK

      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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      Unfortunately that is late blight, it quickly devastates tomato crops and has been very bad this year due to the high humidity levels.

      Spraying with aspirin confers a little resistance to blight, but it's too late for that now. I grow some blight resistant varieties which would be the best bet for an outdoor crop.

      A greenhouse helps plus careful hygiene to stop the spores finding their way to your plants.
       
    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      I've found a way to avoid it.
      I wont be growing any next year, its just been too much this year and not worth the hassle anymore.:frown:
       
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      • john558

        john558 Total Gardener

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        I picked my first ripe Tomato tonight from the Growhouse. My daughter in Scotland has been picking them for a week now and these are outside.
         
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        • Matthew Rosen-Marsh

          Matthew Rosen-Marsh Apprentice Gardener

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          Thanks for this. I won't give up just yet. Haven't got room for a greenhouse but will look out for blight resistant tomato varieties. Any recommendations for this?
           
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          • Fat Controller

            Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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            Got to admit, I am there too. Not a single tomato - not one.

            I've spent getting on for £300-£350 on compost and plants this year and the only thing worth a light really appears to be sweetcorn and some spring onions. I don't even like sweetcorn myself. Complete waste
             
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            • pete

              pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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              I've had a few tomatoes but not any of the large plum ones I really like, they always come a bit later so were wiped out before thay could even ripen one or two.

              All I got was cherry type ones which are ok up to a point but even those got blight with only a quarter of the crop ripe.

              I've not spent anything like you on compost FC, but I still think its been a disaster year for more than just tomatoes.
               
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              • SuzFlowers

                SuzFlowers Gardener

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                Don’t be too disheartened. I can’t even grow spring onions and my tomatoes are never going to ripen this year before the weather turns. That’s great you had success with sweetcorn. There is always next year for us all!
                 
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                • Fat Controller

                  Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                  I try not to, however I am very short of time generally and that is exacerbated by the simple truth that I cannot do what I used to thanks to my health; secondly, the amount we have wasted on the garden could/would have been useful right now as we are on annual leave and are basically skint, sitting at home. Hindsight is a wonderful thing I suppose.
                   
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                  • SuzFlowers

                    SuzFlowers Gardener

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                    I am sorry to hear your health isn’t good. That must be very frustrating.

                    I know what you mean about the expense. It’s easy to get carried away in the garden Centre and regret it later looking at the receipts! I filled a whole bed (my first perennial bed) with expensive plants last year. I took the little ‘snow flake’ logo to mean they would be fine here in Scotland over winter. They were not ! I lost expensive salvia, alstroemerias, agapanthus and penstemons. Lesson learnt there! I didn’t spend as much this year as punishment, but had some good success with seeds: lupin pixie; Virginia stock, cornflowers, wild seed mix and lavateria. Every cloud has a……
                     
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                    • JWK

                      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                      @Matthew Rosen-Marsh

                      Look out for the Tomato Taste thread, coming soon. Members compare their varieties for taste, yield and earliness.

                      This is last years, they do go back a few years too:
                      Tomato taste test 2020
                       
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