I was listening to GQT today and they were saying how bad tomato blight
is, how susceptible Gardeners Delight is and that they were going to do
trials to find a resistant variety.

Er, I grew Gardeners Delight last summer outdoors with no blight.

Was it just (as they hinted) that last year was exceptional?

Would I be well advised to spray my crop this year every 14 days as a
precaution?

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

http://tinyurl.com/27p2h

Regards,
Emrys Davies



"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
I was listening to GQT today and they were saying how bad tomato
blight
is, how susceptible Gardeners Delight is and that they were going to
do
trials to find a resistant variety.

Er, I grew Gardeners Delight last summer outdoors with no blight.

Was it just (as they hinted) that last year was exceptional?

Would I be well advised to spray my crop this year every 14 days as a
precaution?

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

On Sun, 2 May 2004 21:29 +0100 (BST), (Steve Harris)
wrote:

I was listening to GQT today and they were saying how bad tomato blight
is, how susceptible Gardeners Delight is and that they were going to do
trials to find a resistant variety.

Er, I grew Gardeners Delight last summer outdoors with no blight.

Was it just (as they hinted) that last year was exceptional?

Would I be well advised to spray my crop this year every 14 days as a
precaution?

Tomato blight has been bad in many parts of the country for about 5
years now.
Last year I sprayed with Bordeaux mixture but will not bother again.
It covered leaves and fruit with a white powdery film and I had to
wash all fruit before eating.
Blight comes with the rain. We had a long dry summer and I had my
first tomatoes for 4 years, but as soon as the rain came, so did the
blight.
Bob's idea of a "tent" or roof sounds good but I have not tried it.
Good luck tomato growers!

Pam in Bristol

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
I was listening to GQT today and they were saying how bad tomato blight
is, how susceptible Gardeners Delight is and that they were going to do
trials to find a resistant variety.

Er, I grew Gardeners Delight last summer outdoors with no blight.

Was it just (as they hinted) that last year was exceptional?

Last year was very hot and dry. As I understand it, blight likes damp
conditions.

Steve

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
: On Sun, 2 May 2004 21:29 +0100 (BST), (Steve Harris)
: wrote:
:
: I was listening to GQT today and they were saying how bad tomato blight
: is, how susceptible Gardeners Delight is and that they were going to do
: trials to find a resistant variety.
:
: Er, I grew Gardeners Delight last summer outdoors with no blight.
:
: Was it just (as they hinted) that last year was exceptional?
:
: Would I be well advised to spray my crop this year every 14 days as a
: precaution?
:
I am in Plymouth and I have stopped growing tomatoes altogether because the
blight affects my plants so much that it is disheartening and a waste of
time and space. I have tried a couple of sprays but they have little effect
and I don't like spraying anyway

On Mon, 3 May 2004 07:16:23 +0000 (UTC), "Robert"
wrote:

I am in Plymouth and I have stopped growing tomatoes altogether because the
blight affects my plants so much that it is disheartening and a waste of
time and space. I have tried a couple of sprays but they have little effect
and I don't like spraying anywa
==============================
Robert.
I too live in Plymouth, and whilst I have problems with
growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, it's usually the dreaded 'greenback'
which I undestand is caused through either negligence in shading
or irregular watering (or both?) Over the years I've tried all types
of toms, always in Grobags turrned on their side through 90 degrees,
and sometimes through a bottomless pot, though that doesn't appear
to make all that much difference.

I have a theory that the clean air down here is 'too' clean.
If ypu remember, the garden dividers in the roads used to
be planted with roses, and the carbon monoxides from road
vehicles exhausts appeared to kill off all the bugs.

John.
====================================

John wrote:
: On Mon, 3 May 2004 07:16:23 +0000 (UTC), "Robert"
: wrote:
:
:: I am in Plymouth and I have stopped growing tomatoes altogether
:: because the blight affects my plants so much that it is
:: disheartening and a waste of time and space. I have tried a couple
:: of sprays but they have little effect and I don't like spraying anywa
: ==============================
: Robert.
: I too live in Plymouth, and whilst I have problems with
: growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, it's usually the dreaded 'greenback'
: which I undestand is caused through either negligence in shading
: or irregular watering (or both?) Over the years I've tried all types
: of toms, always in Grobags turrned on their side through 90 degrees,
: and sometimes through a bottomless pot, though that doesn't appear
: to make all that much difference.
:
: I have a theory that the clean air down here is 'too' clean.
: If ypu remember, the garden dividers in the roads used to
: be planted with roses, and the carbon monoxides from road
: vehicles exhausts appeared to kill off all the bugs.
:
: John.
: ====================================
Yes I remember that the carbon monoxide keeps down blackspot on roses but I
think we are too damp down here and that is why the blight takes hold so
readily. I don't have a green house. I work full time and have two
allotments plus the ornamental house gardens so would not have time for that
as well. I have noticed the blight is getting far worse over the last couple
of years and Bob Flowerdew (GQT) reckons there are new types of blight
coming along. Does blight have an unknown intelligence trying to defeat our
defences lol?!

I am in Stoke, Plymouth; be strange if I knew you


Robert
Argyle are top of the league and we are having a laugh
www.pafc.co.uk

Tomato blight is the same fungus as Potato blight[P. infestans] and is quite
devastating. It has been around forever. The Irish famine 1848 was due to
this blight.
Bordeaux mixture, or similar, is the only preventative and easily washes
off the fruits. I understand that it is accepted as 'organic'.
Grown under cover~~ greenhouse or cloches, is one way to avoid infection.
Best Wishes Brian.


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
I was listening to GQT today and they were saying how bad tomato blight
is, how susceptible Gardeners Delight is and that they were going to do
trials to find a resistant variety.

Er, I grew Gardeners Delight last summer outdoors with no blight.

Was it just (as they hinted) that last year was exceptional?

Would I be well advised to spray my crop this year every 14 days as a
precaution?

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/