Does tomato blight over winter/re-using containers

[BBB]

Hi all,
I'm new to here! I was wondering if anyone could help. I have a large wooden trough which I grew tomatoes in last year. My question is will blight have over wintered in the soil meaning that my plants might get sick earlier? Or should I not worry. I live in the south east and my garden is pretty sheltered so we've had barely any frost this winter.

I was thinking of replacing about half the compost, rather than the whole lot because it's quite a big trough and it's expensive! I understand rotating crops is the ideal but the tomatoes have to live here for now due to lack of space.

Thanks in advance

B

[WendyC]

Blight over winters on living plant material. Did you get blight last year? If not I wouldn't have thought reusing in the way you suggested would be a problem. Equally if you did have blight you should be ok if you are confident there is nothing where the blight spores are likely to have over wintered. It's caused by air bourne spores rather than through the soil.

[muddled]

Alternatively, wash your pots up and be sure

[WendyC]

Alternatively, wash your pots up and be sure

I would have suggested that but it's a large wooden trough!

[More basil]

I wouldn't worry unless the toms last year suffered from hideous diseases (and as other have said, blight only survives on live plant parts). I'd mix a good load of new compost in with the existing soil though as you suggest and of course make sure to feed the plants. I used to be a bit precious about washing pots etc but have found it doesn't really make any difference not to (unless plants have had diseases).

[Potstubsdustbins]

Same opinion if you have had no disease sweeten the compost with some 7-7-7 fertiliser and then feed as normal through the season.

If you have had a problem then that's a different matter...............

[BBB]

Thanks all.

My toms did get blight last year but only at the very end of the season when most of the fruits had ripened and not every plant was affected. The worst affected was actually over in my raised beds a couple of metre away.

I've just tested growing some radishes in the planter and they are tiny compared to the ones in the beds so I definitely need to replace the compost/nutrients.

Thanks again !

B