[LilyAnne]

I am in mourning.  Something has gone through them like a dose of salts.     

They were fine when I went to get courgettes on Wednesday for a bulk load of ratatouille. The fruits were just beginning to set and I was feeling a very proud mother having nurtured them from babies.

I didn't have time to check the whole plot yesterday when I went out for beetroot and salad stuff.

Something must have been lurking in the depths that I missed. Half of them are dead or on their last legs others are looking sick.

Looking through the books it looks like potato/tomato blight.

I am so upset.  This is the first real disaster in my first year of growing veg.

I don't suppose at this stage there is much I can do to rescue the remaining plants?

[beansticks]

Commiserations   Dont be deterred,next year may be different.Focus on the successes,not the odd failure,we all get them.Dont know if it is blight,because i dont grow toms outdoors.Best of luck with the rest of your produce.

[LilyAnne]

I don't have a choice of indoor growing.  I don't have, nor do I have the prospect of a greenhouse in the future.

Basically they have just all turned or are turning black.  Is is always this quick or am I too much of a novice to not have recognised the early signs?

[beansticks]

Nothing to do with being a novice Lily,blight is prevalent most years.Could you not rig up some kind of polythene frame next year.

[strangerachael]

Bad luck - I have lost mine the last two years running, most people did I think if they grew them outside. I haven't seen any signs so far but I'll be surprised if they don't succumb at some point, it's been so wet. There's always next year ....

[maverick]

Keep focusing on the positives. I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose my toms as well. I had them in a poly tunnel and it has been too humid in there and they've now developed grey mould.

It's my first year also, so I'm trying to be positive. I picked the first cucumber last night which was fantastic. My runner beans, sprouts, pumpkins etc are all looking good so I've got my fingers crossed.

Don't get too disheartened. Good luck

[terrijane]

Hi Lily
I too have lost all mine to blight and this is the first year i've have to grow them outdoors as the greenhouse has now gone. So I  can commiserate with you, I took 2 green ones off which I'm hoping will ripen, but its heartbraking when you have grown them from seed. On the plus side I now have 2 runner beans!!!!!

[LilyAnne]

Two whole runner beans.    I can do better then that, just.   My wigwam is covered in flowers, so fingers crossed.  It is beginning to produce babies.  On the up side dwarf French beans have given me a few servings.  Courgettes  have been over brilliant.  Beetroot has and is still good as are the salad leaves and spinach.  Pumpkins a doing great guns leaf wise and I saw the first actual pumpkin.  It's about the size of a small marble. So Im not completely disheartened.

Sub Title - After The Blight Is Over.

I've dug out all 28 plants.  The pig of it is a couple might have been salvagable but had no fruit. 

So my questions are what next?

1. Do I have to do anything to the canes and soil?

2. What can I put in place of them?