Blight or Blackleg
Whatever it is, it started to sweep through the allotments on Wednesday.
Three years running but this is the worst year so far. Location SE Cornwall, 5 miles inland, 500' amsl, East facing, 1 in 10 slope. All allots have removed their potato haulms. I have 6 rows with : Foremost, Premier, Estima, Marfona and 2 x Accent. I've dug up the Foremost row and got about 12 egg sized spuds from 12 plants !! My neighbour who planted 3 rows of King Edward got zero returns. He's hoping for better results with 6 rows of Casablanca. He's removed haulms on these also. Not sure whether it's blight or blackleg. None of my tubers showed the damage seen on these images and only SOME of the stems have gone dark :- http://preview.tinyurl.com/ztjc6la (blight) http://preview.tinyurl.com/jy9nezv (blackleg) The allotment size is about 50 metres by 6 metres and the traditional planting method is to lay seed pots ACROSS the slope, then banked up into ridges as the leaf pokes thru'. Perhaps it'll improve the drainage if the rows were laid DOWN the slope? Looks like damp weather due to adj Jet-streams are going to be a feature of our climate but I guess the obvious answer is to have a get-together with the other allotments and agree to a ban on spuds - but for how many years? |
Blight or Blackleg
In article ,
Bertie Doe wrote: Looks like damp weather due to adj Jet-streams are going to be a feature of our climate but I guess the obvious answer is to have a get-together with the other allotments and agree to a ban on spuds - but for how many years? Forget it. Blight is hosted by too many wild plants for that to work, and is carried by the wind. We used to lead the world in agricultural research, but the DTI always loathed that, and Thatcher allowed them to destroy it. Breeding resistant varieties is the only long-term solution, though Bordeaux mixture can help. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Blight or Blackleg
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , Bertie Doe wrote: Looks like damp weather due to adj Jet-streams are going to be a feature of our climate but I guess the obvious answer is to have a get-together with the other allotments and agree to a ban on spuds - but for how many years? Forget it. Blight is hosted by too many wild plants for that to work, and is carried by the wind. We used to lead the world in agricultural research, but the DTI always loathed that, and Thatcher allowed them to destroy it. Breeding resistant varieties is the only long-term solution, though Bordeaux mixture can help. Ah thanks Nick, I'll pencil in Bordeaux for next year. I assume you spray as soon as haulms/leaves poke thru'? |
Blight or Blackleg
In article ,
Bertie Doe wrote: Looks like damp weather due to adj Jet-streams are going to be a feature of our climate but I guess the obvious answer is to have a get-together with the other allotments and agree to a ban on spuds - but for how many years? Forget it. Blight is hosted by too many wild plants for that to work, and is carried by the wind. We used to lead the world in agricultural research, but the DTI always loathed that, and Thatcher allowed them to destroy it. Breeding resistant varieties is the only long-term solution, though Bordeaux mixture can help. Ah thanks Nick, I'll pencil in Bordeaux for next year. I assume you spray as soon as haulms/leaves poke thru'? No. Sign up to Bligh****ch, and spray when a Smith period (or the equivalent) is forecast. I don't grow potatoes any longer, because my soil has spraing and both kinds of eelworm. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Blight or Blackleg
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , Bertie Doe wrote: Ah thanks Nick, I'll pencil in Bordeaux for next year. I assume you spray as soon as haulms/leaves poke thru'? No. Sign up to Bligh****ch, and spray when a Smith period (or the equivalent) is forecast. I don't grow potatoes any longer, because my soil has spraing and both kinds of eelworm. I've signed up for 'Bligh****ch' which also links to an interesting RHS article, although the future does look bleak. |
Blight or Blackleg
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Blight or Blackleg
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ...
In article , Bertie Doe wrote: Looks like damp weather due to adj Jet-streams are going to be a feature of our climate but I guess the obvious answer is to have a get-together with the other allotments and agree to a ban on spuds - but for how many years? Forget it. Blight is hosted by too many wild plants for that to work, and is carried by the wind. We used to lead the world in agricultural research, but the DTI always loathed that, and Thatcher allowed them to destroy it. Breeding resistant varieties is the only long-term solution, though Bordeaux mixture can help. Ah thanks Nick, I'll pencil in Bordeaux for next year. I assume you spray as soon as haulms/leaves poke thru'? No. Sign up to Bligh****ch, and spray when a Smith period (or the equivalent) is forecast. I don't grow potatoes any longer, because my soil has spraing and both kinds of eelworm. Hi Nick just an update. Got a Full Hutton Period Blight Alert today. It has been a bit muggy :-) Took your advice and sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture at 23g with a litre of water. As you suggest, probably won't cure blight but if I can delay it for 2 or 3 weeks, I may get a decent crop. After last year's disappointment, there's only 3 allotments growing spuds this year. I'm the only one using Bordeaux, it'll be interesting to see how things pan out. |
Blight or Blackleg
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Sun, 28 May 2017 19:33:35 +0100, "Bertie Doe" wrote: Took your advice and sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture at 23g with a litre of water. As you suggest, probably won't cure blight but if I can delay it for 2 or 3 weeks, I may get a decent crop. After last year's disappointment, there's only 3 allotments growing spuds this year. I'm the only one using Bordeaux, it'll be interesting to see how things pan out. Bordeaux mixture. I'm not surprised you're the only one using it. Not available any more. Withdrawn from sale a couple of years ago. Yours is old stock, I take it. Make it last! Ouch, thanks Chris, that's a blow. You're right it is old stock. When Nick recommended it, I didn't realise I had a half uses tub in the garage. It's dated 2011 :- https://prnt.sc/fdiv5p so I only have enough for 4 x 1 litre doses !! Hopeless if I can't get fresh supplies. I notice that Bligh****ch is sponsored by 'Belchim Crop Protection'. I'll give them a buzz tomorrow but I'll bet they only supply farmers OR the minimum order for Brand X is 50 gallons :-) The question is - what has replaced Bordeaux? |
Blight or Blackleg
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Mon, 29 May 2017 20:25:02 +0100, "Bertie Doe" wrote: I notice that Bligh****ch is sponsored by 'Belchim Crop Protection'. I'll give them a buzz tomorrow but I'll bet they only supply farmers OR the minimum order for Brand X is 50 gallons :-) The question is - what has replaced Bordeaux? Bordeaux mixture is a copper-lime fungicide, as you probably know. Bayer did 'fruit and vegetable disease control' fungicide, in sachets, that was based on copper oxychloride, but I see that's been withdrawn now, although still available on Ebay, apparently http://tinyurl.com/yd7jsyj8 There is this, which is in effect Bordeaux mixture but not named as such and is a two-pack system that you mix yourself, which I suppose gets round the regulations http://tinyurl.com/y9mnbw4q Makes 4 litres, but for £3.55 + £1.33 postage that seems expensive to me. It might be cheaper to buy your own hydrated lime and copper sulphate in bulk and mix as needed. http://tinyurl.com/yc6vw4rf and get hydrated lime from a builders merchant (most 'lime' sold in garden centres is actually ground limestone, which won't behave like lime when combined with copper sulphate, although is ok for adding to soil). Instructions for making it, here http://tinyurl.com/kkbpqfq with the caveat that she says slaked lime is calcium oxide, which is wrong. Slaked lime is calcium hydroxide, and is the same as hydrated lime. Calcium oxide is just lime. Many thanks Chris, much appreciated. I note that the "copper sulphate and lime mix, was developed in the Bordeaux region of France" - so there's the connection. Don't know about your ph in SW Cornwall but here in SE the soil is fairly acid, so may benefit all veg with a dose of lime. If my remaining BM is effective, I may well try the DIY route. Thanks again. |
Blight or Blackleg
On Mon, 29 May 2017 21:43:10 Chris Hogg wrote:
Bordeaux mixture. I'm not surprised you're the only one using it. Not available any more. Withdrawn from sale a couple of years ago. Yours is old stock, I take it. Make it last! Bordeaux mixture is a copper-lime fungicide, as you probably know. Bayer did 'fruit and vegetable disease control' fungicide, in sachets, that was based on copper oxychloride, but I see that's been withdrawn now, although still available on Ebay, apparently http://tinyurl.com/yd7jsyj8 There is this, which is in effect Bordeaux mixture but not named as such and is a two-pack system that you mix yourself, which I suppose gets round the regulations http://tinyurl.com/y9mnbw4q Makes 4 litres, but for £3.55 + £1.33 postage that seems expensive to me. It might be cheaper to buy your own hydrated lime and copper sulphate in bulk and mix as needed. http://tinyurl.com/yc6vw4rf and get hydrated lime from a builders merchant (most 'lime' sold in garden centres is actually ground limestone, which won't behave like lime when combined with copper sulphate, although is ok for adding to soil). Instructions for making it, here http://tinyurl.com/kkbpqfq with the caveat that she says slaked lime is calcium oxide, which is wrong. Slaked lime is calcium hydroxide, and is the same as hydrated lime. Calcium oxide is just lime. I'll make a note of that. I'm coming to the end of my stock of Bordeaux Mixture which is essential for me to spray on my vines every three weeks or so in the growing season otherwise the vines get devastated by mildew and I lose the crop. I'll check first in the local agricultural merchants in France for availability because the French don't always take notice of EU regulations - unlike us! But if the French, and the Germans for that matter, can't use Bordeaux Mixture I'd like to know what they use instead. I remember being on holiday amongst the vineyards along the Mosel in Germany about twenty-odd years ago. They had alerts published for when mildew was likely to strike and then they hired light planes to spray Bordeaux Mixture along the banks of the river as it was impossible to spray effectively from the ground owing to the slope of the river banks. David -- David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK |
Blight or Blackleg
"David Rance" wrote in message ... On Mon, 29 May 2017 21:43:10 Chris Hogg wrote: There is this, which is in effect Bordeaux mixture but not named as such and is a two-pack system that you mix yourself, which I suppose gets round the regulations http://tinyurl.com/y9mnbw4q Makes 4 litres, but for £3.55 + £1.33 postage that seems expensive to me. It might be cheaper to buy your own hydrated lime and copper sulphate in bulk and mix as needed. http://tinyurl.com/yc6vw4rf and get hydrated lime from a builders merchant (most 'lime' sold in garden centres is actually ground limestone, which won't behave like lime when combined with copper sulphate, although is ok for adding to soil). Instructions for making it, here http://tinyurl.com/kkbpqfq with the caveat that she says slaked lime is calcium oxide, which is wrong. Slaked lime is calcium hydroxide, and is the same as hydrated lime. Calcium oxide is just lime. I'll make a note of that. I'm coming to the end of my stock of Bordeaux Mixture which is essential for me to spray on my vines every three weeks or so in the growing season otherwise the vines get devastated by mildew and I lose the crop. I'll check first in the local agricultural merchants in France for availability because the French don't always take notice of EU regulations - unlike us! But if the French, and the Germans for that matter, can't use Bordeaux Mixture I'd like to know what they use instead. I remember being on holiday amongst the vineyards along the Mosel in Germany about twenty-odd years ago. They had alerts published for when mildew was likely to strike and then they hired light planes to spray Bordeaux Mixture along the banks of the river as it was impossible to spray effectively from the ground owing to the slope of the river banks. It seems that farmers are spoilt for choice. I mentioned Belchim, a Belgian company that sponsors Bligh****ch:- http://www.belchim.co.uk/index.php/sliders/products Blight products are Profilus, Ranman, Drum, Kunshi and Narita. Meanwhile back on planet earth, a quick call to a local farm supplier; they have "Copper Mixture" made by Vitax at £3.74p for 175g "Sufficient to make 9 litres". It doesn't state Chris, whether it's c sulphate or oxychloride. "contain copper, manganese and zinc". David, it may be of interest as it includes fruit as well as potato protection. Chris, if Bordeaux is a mix of copper and lime, the local supplier also has "garden lime" 3.5 Kg at £3.98 (inc) and 20 Kg at £9.98 inc. Should I sprinkle lime on soil or mix with the copper and spray on potato leaves? TIA |
Blight or Blackleg
On 30/05/2017 08:16, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Tue, 30 May 2017 07:28:13 +0100, "Bertie Doe" wrote: Many thanks Chris, much appreciated. I note that the "copper sulphate and lime mix, was developed in the Bordeaux region of France" - so there's the connection. There was also a Burgundy mix, copper sulphate neutralised with caustic soda. Both were developed to combat fungal attack on grape vines, but they were applied very generously, and over many decades resulted in a build-up of copper in the soil. I'm not sure whether that's the principal reason for all the various copper fungicides being banned, but it was contributory. Cheshunt compound is copper sulphate neutralised with ammonium carbonate. Used sparingly I doubt it is that much of a problem. Used regularly on the same crop in the same dry ground it gradually builds up which is what caused them problems in France. I suspect plants tolerate copper quite well so it is more a problem of contaminating groundwater. All the copper based fungicides work by inhibiting certain enzymes that are present in damping off, mildews and blight fungi. -- Regards, Martin Brown |
Blight or Blackleg
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Tue, 30 May 2017 10:49:49 +0100, "Bertie Doe" Meanwhile back on planet earth, a quick call to a local farm supplier; they have "Copper Mixture" made by Vitax at £3.74p for 175g "Sufficient to make 9 litres". It doesn't state Chris, whether it's c sulphate or oxychloride. "contain copper, manganese and zinc". ..Amazon do it, at twice the price of course: ..http://tinyurl.com/ya2gsppl But Vitax are marketing it as a trace element fertiliser, but I suspect that's just to get around the regulations, a bit like Root-Out is advertised as a compost accelerator rather than a herbicide The best compost accelerator, by a country mile is Yarrow. It thrives in the grass roadside verges, that have been regularly mown. The fern-like leaves are instantly recognisable. You can buy the seed, pick leaves at 4", a heaped tablespoonful per wheelbarrow of weeds/grass :- https://tedmanzer.com/2012/06/10/yar...edicinal-herb/ snip David, it may be of interest as it includes fruit as well as potato protection. Chris, if Bordeaux is a mix of copper and lime, the local supplier also has "garden lime" 3.5 Kg at £3.98 (inc) and 20 Kg at £9.98 inc. Should I sprinkle lime on soil or mix with the copper and spray on potato leaves? TIA Question: is it truly hydrated lime, aka slaked lime, or is it ground limestone? The latter is frequently advertised and sold as 'garden lime' because hydrated lime needs to be handled a little carefully, especially so that it doesn't get into your eyes. Suppliers these days are very H&S conscious, and won't risk selling anything remotely hazardous to the general public for fear of somebody misusing it and the supplier being sued. Hence proper hydrated lime is no longer available in garden centres, but only through builders merchants. snip Another call to the farm supplier - no it's not hydrated/slaked lime and is in granular form. These should be forked into the ground. It does not state that it's water soluble. If I can't get hold of the slaked, I'll spray with Vitax and dig in the ground lime. I also need to move brassicas from g/house to allotment. These will also benefit from a dose of lime. |
Blight or Blackleg
On 30/05/2017 16:16, Bertie Doe wrote:
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Tue, 30 May 2017 10:49:49 +0100, "Bertie Doe" Meanwhile back on planet earth, a quick call to a local farm supplier; they have "Copper Mixture" made by Vitax at £3.74p for 175g "Sufficient to make 9 litres". It doesn't state Chris, whether it's c sulphate or oxychloride. "contain copper, manganese and zinc". .Amazon do it, at twice the price of course: .http://tinyurl.com/ya2gsppl But Vitax are marketing it as a trace element fertiliser, but I suspect that's just to get around the regulations, a bit like Root-Out is advertised as a compost accelerator rather than a herbicide The best compost accelerator, by a country mile is Yarrow. It thrives in the grass roadside verges, that have been regularly mown. The fern-like leaves are instantly recognisable. You can buy the seed, pick leaves at 4", a heaped tablespoonful per wheelbarrow of weeds/grass :- https://tedmanzer.com/2012/06/10/yar...edicinal-herb/ snip David, it may be of interest as it includes fruit as well as potato protection. Chris, if Bordeaux is a mix of copper and lime, the local supplier also has "garden lime" 3.5 Kg at £3.98 (inc) and 20 Kg at £9.98 inc. Should I sprinkle lime on soil or mix with the copper and spray on potato leaves? TIA Question: is it truly hydrated lime, aka slaked lime, or is it ground limestone? The latter is frequently advertised and sold as 'garden lime' because hydrated lime needs to be handled a little carefully, especially so that it doesn't get into your eyes. Suppliers these days are very H&S conscious, and won't risk selling anything remotely hazardous to the general public for fear of somebody misusing it and the supplier being sued. Hence proper hydrated lime is no longer available in garden centres, but only through builders merchants. snip Another call to the farm supplier - no it's not hydrated/slaked lime and is in granular form. These should be forked into the ground. It does not state that it's water soluble. If I can't get hold of the slaked, I'll spray with Vitax and dig in the ground lime. I also need to move brassicas from g/house to allotment. These will also benefit from a dose of lime. Going off topic a bit. In the past you used to be able to get calcified seaweed but this seems to have gone off the market in the last few years. |
Blight or Blackleg
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Tue, 30 May 2017 16:58:21 +0100, David wrote: Going off topic a bit. In the past you used to be able to get calcified seaweed but this seems to have gone off the market in the last few years. I may be thinking of something else, but IIRC there were deposits of calcified seaweed off Plymouth and off Falmouth, that were extensively dredged in the not-too-distant past. Whether the deposits have been exhausted, or whether they've stopped dredging for environmental reasons, e.g. causing damage to the sea bed flora and fauna, I don't know, but either might explain why it's not around any more. Maxicrop extract is the best well known. They sell it at the local Trago Mills, so must be available at all the big farm shops, DIY outlets etc. The dilution rate is quite fantastic and IIRC a small bottle lasted me a whole season :- http://tinyurl.com/y6ud3gfc |
Blight or Blackleg
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message ... On Tue, 30 May 2017 19:30:51 +0100, "Bertie Doe" wrote: Maxicrop extract is the best well known. They sell it at the local Trago Mills, so must be available at all the big farm shops, DIY outlets etc. The dilution rate is quite fantastic and IIRC a small bottle lasted me a whole season :- http://tinyurl.com/y6ud3gfc Not the same as calcified seaweed, which is granular and superficially looks a bit like a kiddies breakfast cereal or some sort of novel spaghetti shapes, http://tinyurl.com/y9oyk5em . Used as a Yes you're correct, in fact Maxicrop sell it as a liquid extract. Your calcified mage does look like kiddies cereal. If we can persuade the minister of school dinners, to add it to their gruel, we could breed a generation of super heroes :-) There's an interesting and true story about the real seaweed. As you know, gales in the western approaches, dumps loads onto the beaches. Looe Council uses machinery (of some sort) to sweep the stuff back into the sea, thus keeping Looe beach, pristine for the holiday makers. It's a bigger problem on the rocky adjoining beach at Hannafore :- https://prnt.sc/fe7xue For years, a local farmer has come to the rescue with big tractor, scoop-bucket and trailer. (No environmental issues, as seaweed is rootless). Until Looe decided to charge (£30 - £50 IIRC) per trailer-load. The farmer declined. Needless to say, the following year, there were numerous complaints about the pong of rotting seaweed, from local residents. The council went back to the farmer and invited him to remove the stuff f.o.c. The farmer offered to remove it for .... £30 - £50 per trailer-load. Not sure of the outcome of this, assume Stalemate :-) |
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