[arugula]

I've just received my first email from the blightwatch people this year, warning of a Full Smith Period in my postcode area and all surrounding ones. Seems early in the year to me, although I know some have already reported similar thinking it might be blight...

[mumofstig]

Have had a few smith's periods here, but no blight near here, according to Blightwatch.

Is the red Blight spot in Scotland far enough away from you to ignore for now?

[arugula]

Just checked you mean the one I saw the other day. Its about 80 - 100 miles away, so I think we're fairly safe from it. I notice the dots increasing around the country though....

[DD.]

Time for the occasional reminder about this link, methinks.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=56717.0

[arugula]

Indeed, I was just thinking that too - and the maps, directly:

http://www.potato.org.uk/node/910

Although they are linked in a number of other places around the forum.

[devonbarmygardener]

I'd never heard of smith periods.
Thanks for the info - very useful.

I know how to recognise blight - I have a good book called 'What's wrong with my Plant?' which has some very good pictures in - and I know my potatoes had blight a few years ago and ever since I've gone for blight resistant types.

However the bordeaux mixture is never far away.......

....just in case

[hushda24]

Some intresting reading for me this weekend.
Thanks for the links 

[DD.]

Re Bordeaux Mixture, it will be withdrawn from sale on 28 February 2013 but any person can use and store existing stocks until 28 February 2015, after that, to keep within the law, you'll need to find alternatives.

[sunshineband]

I'm stocked up with Bayers Fruit & Veg Disease control spray as of yesterday  

Once this rain has passed I shall be out there spraying, after last year's blight disasters

Can't remember at what intervals to repeat this though

Could someone remind me please?

[Casey76]

Is this only for potato blight, or for tomato blight too? (though I'm pretty sure we don't have a blightwatch system in France )

[DD.]

The map shows outbreaks of blight on potatoes,  but tomatoes, being in the same family, are at risk from the same pathogen.

[sunshineband]

I'm stocked up with Bayers Fruit & Veg Disease control spray as of yesterday  

Once this rain has passed I shall be out there spraying, after last year's blight disasters

Can't remember at what intervals to repeat this though

Could someone remind me please?

Please?

[mumofstig]

DDs link gives the spraying instructions 

[sunshineband]

DDs link gives the spraying instructions 

AHA! So every ten days then

Thank you -- I skim read it too fast for my brain 

[fatbelly]

Checked the map for where we live & I am glad that the nearest report to us is over 100 miles away.

However I have had an email reporting a full smith period at my postcode.