[mumofstig]

Picture please  Sarpo shouldn't be 'badly affected', so I wonder if it is something else 

[Grubbypaws]

Sorry all affected bits have been burnt. The leaves looked exactly like those on the blight website and the  worsely affected stems were slimy. There was something I read about new strains of blight and i wonder if SM is resistant to these. I will post a picture if things begin to deteriorate again.

[Salmo]

Sarpo are resistant, not immune, so it probably is blight.

Pink Fir Apple have low resistance to blight.

[oakridge]

A farmer friend called last Saturday and, looking at my potatoes, he was very pleased to see no sign of blight.  Yesterday there was black spots on the leaves - commentators curse - grrr....

This is the first time in 50 years of vegetable growing that I have had blight and I am extremely careful about rotation and clean crops.  I suppose it had to come sometime.

Malcolm

[trunk monkey]

Dear Oakridge, I too garden in South Yorkshire, near Rotherham, and our allotments are cursed by blight. This year has been one of the better years; we have seen outbreaks of blight but it has not "run", possibly due to the chilly nights checking its spread. I have managed to keep my spuds in the ground for the full duration and have even produced a fine crop of "Ratte". If you would like any advice on coping with blight, let me know. Happy gardening, Trunky

[oakridge]

Fancy that, I too am on the outskirts of Rotherham. Small world isn't it?

The potatoes are Roseval and a white maincrop of unknown variety but only the Roseval are affected.  I have cut all the tops off and I am digging up the crop.  I saw it very quickly so there is no evidence on the potatoes themselves.  I have a large area to play with so I can grow in a place not used for any crop previously.

And thank you very much for your kind offer.

Malcolm

[sunshineband]

Blight has struck three of the tomato cultivars: Nikolayev's Yellow Cherry, Yellow Pear and Nectar Rose. All the others are OK so far.

Managed to get all the potatoes in safely a couple of weeks ago, thank goodness.

[trunk monkey]

Nice to hear from a fellow "Rovrummer" Oakridge; I am on Rotherham road allotments, on the outskirts of Maltby. You acted correctly, if late blight really takes hold cut the haulms off and burn them or put them in your "green bin". Leave the tubers in the ground for a couple of weeks for the skins to harden, so as not to infect the tubers as you lift them through the infected soil. "Roseval" has poor blight resistance which accounts for your infection.
I will offer my advice, please do not be offended if it is unsolicited.
The modern strains of blight persist in the soil so crop rotation is imperative.
Grow mainly first earlies, chit them and plant early, this will ensure a crop even if blight strikes. My potato of choice is "Casablanca". First earlies will keep otherwise we would not have seed potatoes.
Grow blight resistant varieties, e.g. "Orla" or the Sarpo varieties, if you like the taste.
At the first sign of blight pull of any infected leaves being careful not to touch any healthy leaves or tomato plants afterwards. Burn these leaves or put them in the green bin.
Spray the plants with fungicide.
We can not beat blight but we can work round it.
Our allotments back onto farmland so we get most diseases/ pests going; it certainly hones ones skills!
Kind Regards, Ian

[oakridge]

Thank you very much for your very helpful reply Ian.  It's a pity about Roseval having poor blight resistance as it has a jolly nice taste. 

I have 1.25 acres available to 'play' with of which about a third is in real use, the rest is a brambles and bracken battleground.  I am gradually eating into the rough areas so I can plant potatoes on virgin soil next year.

If you would like to come and see what I do you are very welcome.

Malcolm

[trunk monkey]

Thank you for your invitation Malcolm; I would like that. Ian

[surbie100]

Gaah! I thought it was going all too well.

My neighbour's tomatoes must have been hit by blight a little while ago, the whole bed is black and dead. And still all there....My outdoor toms now have patches of blight (though obv might not be from the neighbour!) so I've come home with a massive tray of green toms and will start looking for chutney recipes.

At least it will give the Crimson Crush toms a test.