Tomato Blight
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Fruit | 150 comments
We have blight. When we were rushing out yesterday evening I spotted it on three tomato plants. Large blackish brownish splodges and a generally wilty look. It is unmistakeable. We had it five years ago and it devastated our tomato crop within days.
At the time we were creating a website for an expert on plant diseases. The fee was to be paid in whisky. Danny must have negotiated this deal.
The expert arrived with a rather good bottle of Isla whisky under his arm. He was immediately shepherded out to examine the tomatoes.
“Its blight. Just like potato blight. They’re the same family.”
It was hard to discuss his website. We were mourning the loss of a summer plucking sun warmed fruit from the plant and a long winter savouring our intense tomato sauce base. A good harvest makes enough sauce to last us through the winter until June.
We lost our entire crop that year. Now I grow tomatoes in at least two places. The blight has affected the plants at the front on a sunny south west facing wall. Usually the warmth of the wall nurtures the plants but warm and extended wet weather conditions are perfect for the development of tomato blight. I have hoiked out the plants and am hoping the blight spores will not have spread onto the other 12 plants. The blight affected the weakest plants, the others all look strong and healthy. If the wet weather continues for much longer I am afraid that they all will succumb.
The remaining plants could be treated with Bordeaux Mixture which was developed in France to treat fungal disease in vines. A lot of people spray their potatoes with this potion to protect against blight. It is a copper and lime mixture that is not environmentally friendly, so I am loathe to use it on our tomato plants.
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Hi, Chris here again,
Recovering mentally from the loss of my potatoes and tomatoes, but have now planted some spuds ready (hopefully) for Christmas. Using the tyre stack method, never used it before so we shall see what happens. Got some new tomatoes growing now and cropping quite nicely – fingers crossed there too. I now have problems with my courgettes and marrows – losing fruits like wildfire with rot at the flower end. Gone from 40 promising marrows down to 3. Courgettes are growing beautifully but rotting when around 6″ long and taking them off for fun now. Any ideas on cause? No sign of mildew on the leaves. Also planted some yellow climbing French beans – to date I have had two flowers on 20 vigorous plants. Again, any ideas on cause? By the way, am in Oldham area, and relatives in Mold (North Wales) and the Welsh Valleys have also lost both spuds and tomatoes to blight.
I offer everybody my comisserations – but it is comforting to know that I am not alone.
Hi John,
Thanks for commenting on your trial of Bordeaux mixture. It is interesting that Bordeaux mixture is not banned by organic websites.
I’m glad that your toms are still clinging on.
Hi t minton,
Sorry to hear about your tomatoes it is such a shame to lose them at this stage in the season. Better luck next year.
Hi peter m,
This website looks really useful. Choc-a-block with organic remedies. Thanks for the link!
found this hope it might be useful. Organic answers to loads of plant diseases http://www.ghorganics.com/page15.html including fungal diseases on tomatoes.
I have grown tomatoes for at least 35 years for domestic use and though every year has not been a success I have never lost my plants until this year when Blight attacked them. Can anyone tell me what to do with the growbag compost? Can I spread it on another area of the garden away from the veg. patch
hello, I’m a novice gardener but my tomatoes grown in a container on a west facing wall have also succumbed to the dreaded toms blight. I live in Saltash Cornwall and its just been feezing and rained constantly so the poor blighters haven,t had a chance. I did have some nice fruit but its started rotting. Usually I get split tomatoes from my lack of watering but never this.
Another blight victim from Bristol. 2 weeks ago I bought some Bordeaux mixture and after removing the blighted leaves and fruit sprayed the plants. It seems to have arrested the blight and yesterday I sprayed, as recommended for the second time. So far, so good! The organic websites don’t ban it but say follow guidelines carefully.
Hi Peter,
Liquid nitrogen sounds an inventive way of killing spores but I’m not sure of the length of time of freezing weather needed to kill the spores in your garden/greenhouse. Whether it’s just a freezing snap or a matter of days or weeks.
I am still searching for an organic way of sterilising the greenhouse myself. I’ve looked on the internet and can find no answers. Perhaps I am looking in the wrong place.
You can’t post pics on comments on this site but you can give a link to a place where pictures are stored i.e. Youtube or your website.
Sorry not to be able to help but someone might visit who has the answer. Meanwhile I am going to try yahoo answers tonight.
me again with a thought if cold temps kill the spores would liquid nitrogen help i:e for pots etc i fit bathrooms and you can buy a aerosel can of freezing agent to freeze the water in domestic pipes to work on them available at all large diy stores for about a tenner
whats the best thing to sterilise me greenhouse with organic only if poss sorry to be a pest but blight has got me seeing red all other crops are doing ok and can you post pics here
cheers fn i was going to plant the spuds on the site of the old greehouse was just wondering if the run off water from the tomatoes would infect the soil looks like i’ll have to get rid of the compost as well i put some cuttings in have got them out but might have missed a few. One of the joys of being a first timer well better to learn the hard way eh p.s the 3 out side are all going strong thanks again
Hi Peter,
Thanks for giving your location. This is really useful.
As you will see from the comments, Tomato Blight kills in a couple of days or so in severe cases. I am not so worried by brownish leaves (remove and burn immediately). If you have blackish/brownish areas on the stalks remove and burn the plants immediately.
I have had both and dealt with the problems rapidly. I now have tomatoes ripening and am on tenterhooks when there is an extended period of rain. Given the right conditions (warm and wet), blight could kill my tomato plants in 2 days. Fingers crossed.
I do hope that you get some sort of harvest this year.