[Dantheman]

Hi,

Best spray to help keep blight away?

Thanks

[Salmo]

I have never seen good results from spraying to protect from blight. Usually by the time blight arrives the potatoes are well baulked up. Best to cut the tops to the ground when blight is obvious on the leaves.

[sunshineband]

Preventative from late May/early June is to spray every ten days or so with something such as Bayers Fruit & Vegetable Disease Control or Vitax Bordeaux Mixture.

The key is to begin before there are any symptoms and keep it up.

[DD.]

I have never seen good results from spraying to protect from blight. Usually by the time blight arrives the potatoes are well baulked up. Best to cut the tops to the ground when blight is obvious on the leaves.

I have.

As sunshineband says, it's preventative. This is one of the reasons we promote the blight maps so much. It helps you see it coming. It's no good doing it as it arrives.

When needed I've used Diathane - which has been replaced by Bayers Fruit & Vegetable Disease Control. My outdoor tomatoes have stood there cropping, whilst others have been dumping them in the skip.

[Kristen]

Stick to early varieties perhaps?

[DD.]

The question doesn't actually mention potatoes! It was Salmo that brought them into the equation. I'm trying to cover all bases. You'd be hard pushed to crop tomatoes outside before the blight season.

[Salmo]

Quite right DD. I grow a few toms outside. Get away with it most seasons with gardeners delight. I really do not like spraying the fruit and then eating. What is the harvest interval for Bayers mix?

The other approach is to look for blight resistant varieties, both potatoes and toms. I get the impression that we will see more resistant toms in the next few years.

[Kristen]

The question doesn't actually mention potatoes!

Good point ... although :

Is it more likely that Blight will infect Tomatoes from Spuds, than direct? So if no (late) spuds less chance of Tomatoes getting infected?

I have no idea on that point, just curious. Luckily in this part of the world blight is not rife, and my Tomatoes are all in the greenhouse so somewhat more protected than outdoor ones. 

[Kristen]

I get the impression that we will see more resistant toms in the next few years.

Sutton's Crimson Crush looks promising ... although we'll all know better after this season's growers report back

http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Vegetable+Plants/All+Vegetable+Plants/Tomato+Plants+-+Crimson+Crush_242971.htm

[BabbyAnn]

Is it more likely that Blight will infect Tomatoes from Spuds, than direct? So if no (late) spuds less chance of Tomatoes getting infected?

I have no idea on that point, just curious.

in my experience when blight strikes, outdoor tomatoes seemed to be infected long before seeing any signs on the potatoes   

There was a salad potato sold last year called Novella which had an interesting strategy against blight - when leaves were infected they died back ... the idea being that blight requires living tissue to thrive.  It doesn't appear to be available this year which is a shame because it was actually a nice potato.

[Dave NE]

I am trying aspirin this year, 300mg per gallon of water, from what I have read the tomato reacts to the aspirin and thinks its under attack which toughens the leaves and stems and (might) lessen the blight spores from entering the tomatoes tissues, fingers crossed Dave

[Kristen]

in my experience when blight strikes, outdoor tomatoes seemed to be infected long before seeing any signs on the potatoes   

Useful to know, thanks.  Best of luck for the forthcoming year

[Markw]

We have been very lucky with potato blight where we are. But the tomato's usually are always devastated, last year everyone's got wiped out over one weekend. I always spray my spuds, must think about doing the same for the tomato's this year.

[sunshineband]

Quite right DD. I grow a few toms outside. Get away with it most seasons with gardeners delight. I really do not like spraying the fruit and then eating. What is the harvest interval for Bayers mix?

The other approach is to look for blight resistant varieties, both potatoes and toms. I get the impression that we will see more resistant toms in the next few years.

I avoid the flowers and fruit and only spray the leaves ---both sided if I can reach.

[Growster...]

I am trying aspirin this year, 300mg per gallon of water, from what I have read the tomato reacts to the aspirin and thinks its under attack which toughens the leaves and stems and (might) lessen the blight spores from entering the tomatoes tissues, fingers crossed Dave

We do this Dave!

There was a lot of correspondence about this last year, and I rushed out and bought several packets. There was no blight round here though!

We also use Bordeaux on the allotment for toms, the spuds are earlies, so we don't bother with them!