[missmoneypenny]

Where I am (London) the recent damp weather, combined with the fact that the temperature is set to rise over the next few days, means blight is likely to follow. Anyone seen it yet? Generally my tomatoes get it, but not the spuds.
Not trying to be controversial and i know it's not for everyone, but I have sprayed with Bordeaux mix 10 days ago, and will do so again in a few days. The year before I started doing this, I think the very wet 2012, my entire crop succumbed to blight, or as i like to call it, tomato plague.

[mumofstig]

We have this thread to keep an eye on it
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=119783.msg1409134#msg1409134

Why not sign up to get Smith period warnings, so you know if conditions are right for blight near you and if there is actually blight near to you?

[al78]

I'd heard about that. Potatoes are one of only three things I am likely to get a crop from this year at best due to spending seven weeks in hospital starting a few days before the rest of my veg seedling were going to be planted out  . Oh well, I suppose there is always next year.

[missmoneypenny]

 Thanks mumofstig I'll go over and look at the blight page
AL78 hope you get a great crop of spuds. Somehow mine never get affected even when the tomatoes a couple of metres away are keeling over.

[compostqueen]

I don't spray my spuds   You could spray them and still get blight.  You can hack the foliage off, which they say helps but not sure if that's true or not. 

I don't think blight is inevitable     I garden with a positive view and don;t worry about the myriad of misfortunes that could lay low my veggies. They sense negative vibes you know. Very sensitive plants are so cheer up 

[Eightball]

http://www.hlhltd.co.uk/news/read_128734/consider-the-limitations-of-the-smith-period-in-predicting-blight-infection.html

Blight is evolving

[mrsbean]

is it true that bordeaux mix leaves a purple colour on things, got some in shed but never used it.

[Twitch]

is it true that bordeaux mix leaves a purple colour on things, got some in shed but never used it.

It can indeed, but washes off after a heavy downpour

[jambop]

Bordeaux mixture is the best way to avoid tomato blight or potato apply it when condition require by keeping an eye on the weather forecast if rain is due get some on the day before if possible. Environmental issues are a red herring for the home gardener you are using a few hundred grams per year max not the amounts used by large producers. If you do all your gardening buy natural means but use the odd bit of Bordeaux you are doing better that anybody who uses the slightest bit of fertiliser or pesticide which are products of the oil industry one of the worst polluters of the earth!

It can indeed, but washes off after a heavy downpour

Not so it is quite resilient and one application is good for a week at least. The copper sulphate is fixed by calcium oxide which sticks it to the leaves.

[mumofstig]

Not everyone likes the idea of spraying anything on the veg they're growing.

Each to their own.

[jambop]

Absolutely right each to their own ... I take it you never eat any fruit and veg bought in a supermarket? I always wash my fruit and veg before eating it how about you?

[Thrutchington]

The weather conditions are good for the slugs here, loads of them about in the rain last night.

[Twitch]

Had a Smith period warning from blightwatch today 

[Salmo]

Environmental issues are a red herring for the home gardener you are using a few hundred grams per year max not the amounts used by large producers. If you do all your gardening buy natural means but use the odd bit of Bordeaux you are doing better that anybody who uses the slightest bit of fertiliser or pesticide which are products of the oil industry one of the worst polluters of the earth!

Every little bit adds to the problem. In any case do you really want to put copper on to your soil. Copper sulphate is not a natural product and highly toxic. Quite why it is allowed to be used by organic producers I have never understood. It could be that with no organic products available to fight blight but that seems a bit of a cop out.

I never spray potatoes. Just keep an eye on them and remove the tops when blight is evident. Some seasons it comes in early and yield is reduced but the choice of second early or early maincrop varieties usually means that they have bulked up enough before the blight arrives. Tomatoes are a greater risk but it seems that blight resistant varieties will be available soon.

[jambop]

Copper sulphate is not a natural product, it does occur in the natural environment and is not highly toxic.

Why do people post things that are not actually true? It is a natural product, it does occur in the naturally environment it is not HIGHLY toxic and has been used for years as a NATURAL fungicide! I will say it is not organic though if that makes any difference. However people will gleefully use washing up liquid, man made fertilisers, drive their cars to the plot to use their rotavators running on petrol and using lubricating oils, buy fresh fruits and veg from supermarkets, which are treated with shed loads of pesticides and fertilisers and think they are in fact doing less harm that using perhaps 100g per annum of an effective preventative treatment for blight! You are right though every little adds to the problem but you are looking in the wrong place for the problem look at industry and what farmers are using every year for the real problem not a band of gardeners trying to use something that is actually natural to solve the problem