For the last two years since moving to Wessex during the wet summers my
toms failed due to late blight.
So this year I grew them in pots against a south-facing wall. So after
all the recent rain I now have early blight. Lower leaves going yellow
with black spots.

However, the toms in one of those simple £14.99 4-shelf patio cloches so
far unaffected despite it being wide open to the rain at the front.

Think I'll give toms a miss next year.

DAvy

On Sat, 18 Jul 2009 04:21:46 -0500, Davy
wrote:

For the last two years since moving to Wessex during the wet summers my
toms failed due to late blight.
So this year I grew them in pots against a south-facing wall. So after
all the recent rain I now have early blight. Lower leaves going yellow
with black spots.

However, the toms in one of those simple £14.99 4-shelf patio cloches so
far unaffected despite it being wide open to the rain at the front.

Think I'll give toms a miss next year.

DAvy

It's now at least my 8th year of saying that. There's really nothing
you can do, but it is a bit early for blight. Are you sure that's what
it is? Are there any brown patches on the stems?
Lower leaves turning yellow could be due to drying out in pots. Even
with rain, toms in pots need extra watering.
If it is blight, well hard luck and as you say, with all this wet
weather, we don't stand much chance of avoiding it.
Any one else affected?

Pam in Bristol

"Pam Moore" wrote
Davy wrote:

For the last two years since moving to Wessex during the wet summers my
toms failed due to late blight.
So this year I grew them in pots against a south-facing wall. So after
all the recent rain I now have early blight. Lower leaves going yellow
with black spots.

However, the toms in one of those simple £14.99 4-shelf patio cloches so
far unaffected despite it being wide open to the rain at the front.

Think I'll give toms a miss next year.


It's now at least my 8th year of saying that. There's really nothing
you can do, but it is a bit early for blight. Are you sure that's what
it is? Are there any brown patches on the stems?
Lower leaves turning yellow could be due to drying out in pots. Even
with rain, toms in pots need extra watering.
If it is blight, well hard luck and as you say, with all this wet
weather, we don't stand much chance of avoiding it.
Any one else affected?

I too think it's a bit early for blight, it shows as darkbrown/black patches
on leaves and stems and it's usually the top leaves that show the signs
first. Within a few days the plant turns black and is dead.
We grow blight resistant varieties and I've proved to my satisfaction they
actually are resistant, they do show signs of blight eventually, after all
the others are well dead, but it doesn't seem to spread through the plant.

Ferline, Fantasio and Legend are the three we are growing this year.

May not be the best tasting, although they aren't bad, but better any
home-grown tomato than none.

I've also be considering building a tent of plastic over my rows of Toms,
just enough to stop the rain getting on the leaves should be all that is
required. Anyone else tried that?

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London

Davy wrote in
. 109.145:

For the last two years since moving to Wessex during the wet summers
my
toms failed due to late blight.
So this year I grew them in pots against a south-facing wall. So
after
all the recent rain I now have early blight. Lower leaves going
yellow
with black spots.

However, the toms in one of those simple £14.99 4-shelf patio cloches
so
far unaffected despite it being wide open to the rain at the front.

Think I'll give toms a miss next year.

DAvy

Yes, its Early Blight as apposed to Late Blight showing early! They are
two similar but different diseases.

DAvy

"Davy" wrote ...

Yes, its Early Blight as apposed to Late Blight showing early! They are
two similar but different diseases.

Early Blight is early in the US where it's more of a problem but is usually
late in the UK and whilst it will damage foliage it rarely affects cropping
much.
Feeding your plants is important to help ward off this disease.
It is also very important you remove any affected foliage and don't let it
remain on/in the ground over winter as that can carry the infection over to
the next year.
Good luck.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden