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Is this tomato blight?

StrangethingieStrangethingie Posts: 29
in Problem solving

3 of my poor tomato plants have started to go a bit manky on the stems. Is this tomato blight? We've never had a problem with blight before so not a clue what it looks like!

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,078

    Mmm yes, that does look like it.  

    Move the pot to another part of the garden well away from other toms and potatoes.  Inspect at least twice a day and pick off any affected leaflets as soon as they appear and burn them - keep the compost fairly dry and cross your fingers. 

    I did all that a couple of years ago and still got a fairly reasonable crop, and the other tomatoes weren't affected.

    Good luck. image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,078

    Depends which blight it is - Late Blight Phytopthera infestans can be quite dramatic and there's little that can be done.

    Early Blight Alternaria solani, is less dramatic and can be controlled by removing affected leaves as I've described.  It's important to wash your hands after removing the infected leaves before toughing healthy plants/leaves.

    image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • StrangethingieStrangethingie Posts: 29
    Ahh I had a sneaky suspicion it was blight! I hope it's not late blight! The weather here has been a nightmare the last few weeks, hot and dry, then warm and wet. I've got a constant battle with the green house keeping it shaded one minute and then trying to stop it steaming up!!!



    I'll shall try what you suggested Dovefromabove, I've about 20 different tom plants in the greenhouse with the 3 poorly ones, so I don't want the other ones getting infected!! I also got some disease control stuff the garden centre recommended, so I'll treat them with that too!



    Thanks folks!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,078

    There's nothing that will treat blight once the infection has arrived.  There are some things on the market that claim to be preventative if used before blight arrives ... I don't bother with them.  I don't like spraying things I'm going to eat. image

    I'm afraid that GCs do recommend things - they like you to give them money for them image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • StrangethingieStrangethingie Posts: 29
    I actually thought better than using the stuff from the GC, after reading the box it says it slows down blight. But if I do what Dovefromabove suggested, I should be able to slow it down anyway. I really don't want to just throw the plants on a bonfire just yet, coz they have masses of unripe on them!
  • me londonme london Posts: 119

    Frustrating isn't it? You grow stuff, look after it with love and attention and something gets, be it fungus, critters... and ends all the work you put in!
    Noticed today the early signs of blight in one of my toms at the allotment so I pulled it out before it spread (hopefully) to the others. Such a shame, was fruiting nicely and everything, was so sad!!  I've never had tom blight before, but I've never grown toms at an allotment, in the ground,  only large pots and fresh compost each year at home. I think that's the way for me in future.

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