[mumofstig]

  That was quick 

[Sparkyrog]

That was quick 

lucky timing 

[Growster...]

My stash is called Beaujolais Mix, so is in season whenever I want!

Crack on November 19th!

[Markw]

You can always make you own Beaujolais Mix, 10-10-100

[mumofstig]

That was quick 

lucky timing 

Not so lucky - I've had my money refunded 

[Sparkyrog]

Not so lucky - I've had my money refunded 
[/quote]

OOps mine is marked as despatched 

[surbie100]

There's some on Amazon.

[andy dewar]

Sorry for being a bit behind here but why is it being banned iv been using on my peach tree to stop leaf curl, what can i use in future thanks for any suggestions

[Kristen]

Most of these sort of things have not been banned as such but rather new rules require that the product is registered - which requires testing etc.

Its not possible to get a Patent for something in the public domain / already known, so no company wants to spend the money on the registration because any other company could then manufacture the product ...

... so we wind up with new, complex, chemicals for control instead of old proven solutions which probably have zero environmental side effects (such as Sulphur which is now withdrawn/banned as a fungicide but still on sale for other uses ... and Ammonium sulphamate, a nice simple chemical which controlled Horsetail effectively but is now only sold as a Compost Heap accelerator - don't spill any on your Horsetail on the way to the compost heap!!).

Personally I think the government should undertake testing & registration of "obvious" simple chemicals in such instances.

In the case of Bordeaux Mix there is an issue of Copper build up in the soil.  Copper Sulphate dissolves readily in water, so assumption might be that it will leach easily from soil but it binds easily and well to soil particles so actually builds up rather than dissipates. Amateur gardeners tend to over-apply chemicals too ...

... whether this actually amounts to a real-world hazard, or not, I have no idea.

[surbie100]

I had this back from the RHS today - my highlights, not theirs. Thought it might be useful for people to have.

Many thanks for your enquiry to the RHS advisory service concerning the use of Bordeaux mixture.

With regards to the use of Bordeaux mixture, I am afraid that this has been removed from sale. So legally it cannot be sold after the 30th November 2014 and remaining stocks must be used or disposed of before the 30th November 2015. This is the information that is present on the government website (www.pesticide.gov.uk) and has been confirmed when I contacted Vitax directly.

Whilst talking with the Vitax representative, the removal appears to have been unintended and due to slow administration in processing their re-registering of the Bordeaux mixture. For this reason, I suspect that it might come back to sale at a later point in time but after acceptance by the European administration and then re-stocking of shops. Until then, we have to follow the current legislation and therefore Bordeaux mixture has to be withdrawn from sale.

You have asked about the products that are left to deter blight, for which I am assuming you mean potato and tomato blight, Phytophthora infestans. Both the products which are labelled against this disease are both being withdrawn. Bordeaux mixture being one and Fruit and Vegetable Disease Control (copper oxychloride) being the second. Both had sell before the end of 30th November 2014, and use by 30th November 2015.

We have also been updating our fungicide leaflet and this will hopefully going online this week.

I hope that you find this information useful.

Yours sincerely,

(name removed)
Plant Pathologist - Horticultural Advisory

[Yorkie]

Thanks for posting that update, surbie 

[Eblana]

I have checked the Irish Dept web site and it doesn't look as though it has been banned here yet (I can find no notifications in relation to it).  I have looked on line and a number of on-line suppliers in Ireland still have it for sale (Quickcrop.ie and johnstowngardencentre.ie both appear to have it).  I have two containers of it for this years crop - even Sarpo Mira came down with blight last year,  I will check with the Dept later in the year to see if anything has changed.

[kellycontina]

i have the ingredients to make my own , our lotty is blight ridden and 2 old ladies swear by Bordeaux mixture, i have the ingredients....soft soap ,copper sulphate and garden lime ....all my veg will be washed well before eaten so im not too worried and if it stops blight im all for it

[Growster...]

I couldn't care a monkey's if they want to ban it, they can come down here any time and ask me nicely, and then get told to go and do something useful for a change.

[Kristen]

I think? that is hasn't been "banned" but rather "New registration required"??

Seems like a lot of things have required this of late and if it is not cost effective for a company to do the registration then they won't bother, which is fair enough as there is no Patent / other monopoly available for a pre-existing product, so one company paying to register it would mean any other company could then manufacture and sell it ...

Bit like Sulphur no longer being sold for Fungal treatment, and Ammonium sulphamate which was very effective on Marsetail now only being available as a compost accelerator

personally I think in such circumstances, and where someone reasonably skilled in the art thinks it worthwhile (i.e. not a "Snake Oil" solution ) the government should pay for the tests / registration.

Perhaps we need to lobby parliament to that end?