Tommies have blight - Help

[Bagpuss]

Evening all

Wondered whether any of you grapes had a a few wise words for me.

My tommies, which have been sitting in the plastic greenhouse began to wilt and develop brown patches on the leaves. My OH took them to the garden centre and blight has been diagnoised.

I've been lucky and never encountered this before, so I'm a bit stuck as to what to do next. The garden centre plant man told my OH that he would throw them all away and start again. My OH has picked up a packet of Dithane and given them the first application.

I've spent ages sowing a wide variety of toms that I was looking forward to trying and am absoluted gutted at the thought of losing them all.

So do I

1. Throw them all away and re-seed (do I have time?) or buy; or
2. Try and save them ?

I don't have enough garden space to "wait and see" so I'm going to have to make the call now.

Also, am I right in thinking that I'm going to have to wash down the inside of the plastic greenhouse ?

Thanks in advance

A very sad bagpuss

[rogesse]

That really doesn't look like blight - more like scorching or wide temperature differences between night and day, anyway isn't it too early for blight (wind borne I think).

Some of my toms look exactly the same (and some aubergine) because of too high a temperature in the sunroom and wide temperature fluctuation.

Don't throw them - naughty nursery man for upsetting you so

[TracyP]

I had a severe blight last year wiped out about 20 plants in my greenhouse, when my toms were in full fruit - devastating, but at least you have time. I would say the best thing is to chuck them, disinfect the greenhouse with Jayes and buy some plants from the garden centre. Also try your local freecycle- some members might have extras and take pity on you

Tracy

[Creemteez]

Not a Tommie expert, but the patches on your leaves don't look like blight to me - more like water splash scorching. I don't want to get your hopes up unduly, but it's still early in the year for blight to have put in an appearance. Was the person at the garden centre someone of knowlege - or a knuckle-dragger who just wanted to sell you some blight medicine? As to applying the stuff you bought, I always thought that was a preventative measure and that there is pretty much b*gger all you can do once it's taken hold.
As to what to do, you pays your money, you takes your choice, whatever you do, if it is blight, you won't be able to use the compost you've got these ones in. The pots will have to be sterilised as will the inside of your green house.
It's a bummer. Sorry, Bagpuss.

[greendean]

i agree with creemteez. some of mine are the same. too early for blight.
always water at the base of the plant, any water on leaves acts as a small magnifying glass and will scorch the leaves.

[TracyP]

Oh I didn't see that you had posted the pics! That's not blight - blight has dark brown, not light brown or fading spots on the leaves, as though they are rotting. Maybe a pot-on or a tom feed might revive them, worth a try

[Bagpuss]

Oooo now I really don't know what to think. Well OH tells me that the GC man seemed to know what he was talking about?

The packet says that the Dithane is to control the disease, so I've assumed that, if it did work, I'd get some toms off the plant ???

[SarzWix]

That isn't blight, or I'll eat my hat. Blight patches are dark brown to black, and have white mouldy looking spores on the underside of the splotches. What you most likely have there are scorch marks from water getting on the leaves, and the sun being too strong. Give them a bit of shading when it's really sunny and they'll be fine.

[Bagpuss]

Well I've been watering from the bottom so I'd ruled out scorching, plus most of them are taking on a wilting look.

Is it worth a little feed to see if that perks them up ?

[SarzWix]

the GC man seemed to know what he was talking about?

Well, he didn't

This is what Early Blight looks like;

[Redpepper]

It deffo looks like scorching, maybe some kind of chemical or feed was splashed on them?
If they're withering, are you sure they haven't come into contact with a chemical of some kind?

[SarzWix]

It could easily have been condensation dripping onto the leaves. If they've been in a plastic greenhouse, with the door shut, it would have been hot enough to damage them if the sun was on them for an hour or two. I was sitting in my g/house yesterday with the door and window open, and it was still near 30ºc.

[rogesse]

I'm with Sarwix, GC man was talking total.......tosh!

[Bagpuss]

Just been out there again. They deffo don't have the markings shown in the extreme close up or any dark blotches, and no, no chemicals or feed have been anywhere near them.
From all the wise words it sounds like its a condensation / dripping scorching problem?

It's starting to sound like a ploy to sell chemcials or new plants. Or am I just being cynical ?

[SarzWix]

Yerrrsss... Scaremongering If the worst happens and you do lose them, don't buy new ones from there!
But they may well come to, just make sure you open the front of the greenhouse in the morning, and shut it at night, unless it's a reeally chilly day. If you're going to be out all day it's probably best to leave it open.