[arugula]

I wondered if any forum members whose plots have succumbed to blight either this year or previously, have ever notified their outbreak in order to help build up the map data.

http://www.potato.org.uk/publications/gardeners-advice-potato-blight

Just curious really...

[wendyg]

I checked on my plot yesterday and have found blight on my potatoes, a few other allotment holders have it also.  I have removed all of the infected greenery and put into bin bags ready to take down the dump.  According to the map our postcode area isn't affected yet, but the one next to ours is.  I don't know if we have a 'blight monitor' on our site, and so am unsure if it needs reporting, in the area around the town there are quite a lot of potato fields.

[arugula]

Its not compulsory to report it. I just wondered if folk were being good citizens and reporting it for the good of all their fellow veg growers.

[Salmo]

I emailed Fight on Blight last week and reported blight on our allotment because it is well away from anything on the map.

They asked me if I wanted to become a reporter for the allotment site and offered to send me a sampling kit. I said I would but have heard no more. They want samples firstly to verify that reported blight is blight, and secondly to build up a picture of strains of blight.

I asked whether they were looking for reporters from allotment sites in general with the thought that this forum would be a good place to recruit. I have heard nothing from them.

With the weather we have been having I immagine that they are innundated with samples. I will report back when I hear more.

[arugula]

Thanks for that salmo. I'm sure there would be other volunteers.

[Aunt Sally]

It certainly would be a good idea to get allotment holders to test for blight and report it.

[Salmo]

My sampling kit arrived this morning. Return envelope, 4 sample bags, form and instructions.

I took the required 4 samples this afternoon and sent them off.

The first thing you have to do is to text the first part of the postcode to them. A sample ID number is text back. A suspected case blob immediately appears on the blight map and in the list below it, in my case PE8

Then take a sample of a lesion with a leaf, fold it between tissue and put it into one of the 4 plastic bags marked A, B, C and D. Take 3 more samples, preferably some distance apart and post off. A text will be sent to confirm whether it is blight. A red square, gardens and allotments will appear on the map if blight is confirmed.

If you want to be a blight monitor send an email to Gary Collins    gcollins@potato.org.uk

[Aunt Sally]

Thanks for that information Salmo.

I'll be doing it myself - I hope lots more of our members do too.

[arugula]

It helps everybody out in the long run and doesn't sound too arduous.

[fatcat1955]

Just applied.

[angelavdavis]

Had to pull my spuds up on Friday, so I have also applied.

[NN2Blue]

Thanks for that information Salmo.

I'll be doing it myself - I hope lots more of our members do too.

I was talking about my blight problems with our site monitor Helen this afternoon who is going to take samples and send them off - Looks pretty widespread on our site.

[Ice]

Spotted blight on mine today and have sent them an email.  There is no blight marked in my area at the moment.

[surbie100]

Thanks for this. I've lost all my tomatoes to blight and have spotted that there are 2 potato beds on a neighbours that are riddled with it and apparently are being left. 

Useful to know you can help report cases.
Surbie

[Salmo]

My sampling kit arrived this morning. Return envelope, 4 sample bags, form and instructions.

I took the required 4 samples this afternoon and sent them off.

The first thing you have to do is to text the first part of the postcode to them. A sample ID number is text back. A suspected case blob immediately appears on the blight map and in the list below it, in my case PE8

Then take a sample of a lesion with a leaf, fold it between tissue and put it into one of the 4 plastic bags marked A, B, C and D. Take 3 more samples, preferably some distance apart and post off. A text will be sent to confirm whether it is blight. A red square, gardens and allotments will appear on the map if blight is confirmed.

If you want to be a blight monitor send an email to Gary Collins    gcollins@potato.org.uk

I received an email from them yesterday to confirm that the sample I sent to them last Thursday was blight. My blob has gone to red on the map.

The spread of blight on the map is a useful warning that blight is about. The sample I sent was obviously blight. The real value to an allotment site will be early in the season when suspected spots which could be blight/early blight/defficiency can be professionally tested.