[jayvee]

Hi everyone  

My first posting so don't know if this has come up before ... couldn't find anything when I searched.

Hope this isn't a silly question, but what I would like to know is whether a hot air gun would destroy the spores of tomato blight in the greenhouse soil.

I had blight on some of my outdoor tomatoes last year and again this year,  the greenhouse tomatoes were OK until this year, but became infected towards the end of their cropping period late October. Prior to that they had suffered due to the very hot daytime temperatures and cooler nights (greenback?). That was bad enough, but the blight getting in to the greenhouse was a bit of a blow as I was hoping to grow tomatoes there again next year, but now I imagine the soil will be full of spores.

The variety I grew in the greenhouse was Ailsa Craig, which I also grew outdoors, together with Sungold (wonderful flavour) and Gardeners Delight.

If anyone has tried burning off the soil, or can offer any other advice, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance.

[Zak the Rabbit]

spores could well be resistant to quite a high temperature, and burning off the soil will also burn off any organic matter in it.

You would be better disposing of the soil and getting some fresh clean soil that is spore free



Martin

[jayvee]

Thanks for the advice Martin, perhaps I'll be OK if I just replace the top few inches.
The hot air gun seemed a good idea when I thought of it. Oh well  :!:

jayvee

[Stevens706]

Hi Jayvee,

As you have blight outside this year it would be risky using soil from there and replacing the soil could be expensive if you are buying it in. I would be tempted to sterilise the soil with Jays fluid and use grow bags next year, and then add manure for the following year. I’m not an expert but hopefully someone will know if this is a good idea.

[Stevens706]

Hi Jayvee,

As you have blight outside this year it would be risky using soil from there and replacing the soil could be expensive if you are buying it in. I would be tempted to sterilise the soil with Jays fluid and use grow bags next year, and then add manure for the following year. I’m not an expert but hopefully someone will know if this is a good idea.

[muntjac]

id get as much scrap wood as you can lay your hands on and build a bonfire on the spot . pack soil over the fire using straw  to fill gaps , pile the soil up from the bottom to the top , dont make the stack to pointed  squat is better . leave a hole to allow for access to the centre pack with straw paper etc ,pack more soil over the hole so u just have a small one to allow the fire to be lit , leave a small hole at the top for a draught chimney . light the fire  ,,close the botom hole.watch for flame in the top close as soon as it appears . pile more loose soil on .without collapsing the pile .allow to cook for 2 days .then clean the remains off and re spread the soil this works for all sorts of sterilising problems

[jayvee]

As you have blight outside this year it would be risky using soil from there and replacing the soil could be expensive if you are buying it in. I would be tempted to sterilise the soil with Jays fluid and use grow bags next year, and then add manure for the following year. I’m not an expert but hopefully someone will know if this is a good idea.

Hi Paul

Thanks for that ... using grow bags seems like a sensible option ... not sure whether Jeys fluid would kill spores though, I thought it was more for diseases (bacteria etc)?? Maybe someone else can answer that.

[jayvee]

Hi Muntjac

Thankyou too for your input.

That's an interesting idea and I reckon if you got the fire going properly, it could work. I have one big problem however, that's where I could get enough wood!
The other is the niggling doubt about missing some spore infested soil, and wondering if the heat had been sufficient to kill off the spores.

This blight is a pain in the but, and is something I've never experienced before .... until last year after growing potatoes for the first time.

I think grow bags in a different part of the garden might be the way to go, and also grow bags in the greenhouse.

Jayvee

[muntjac]

the temps will reach over 2000c at the heart in my estimatio0n and wil kill anything theer we used to steam sterilise soil for tomatos and that was less hot and did the job . we put the soil in hessian backed trays and then into a steamer and left them there for 30 mins bout 10 trays in all containing a hundredwieght each /ihave used the fire method to kill wire worm etc and it did the job most effectivly , search skips and  nieghbours for fire wood , a little note in the local shop will secure you plenty i reckon