Bordeaux Mixture & Bayer - approval withdrawn

[sparrow100]

In the May edition of a gardening magazine (not GYO) there's an article on blight which talks about Bordeaux mix. It states that Bordeaux Mix had its approval removed in November 2014 and will banned for sale from November 2015. (page 23)

I don't use Bordeaux mix often, and I won't be stockpiling, but I don't remember seeing any articles on it around the date the approval was withdrawn.

Just found this buried on the RHS website in an article on bacterial canker, but most of the other advice articles, including the fungicide one for home gardeners, haven't been updated.

*NB: The following products are being withdrawn:
Bordeaux Mixture (Vitax) is being withdrawn and cannot be sold after the 30th November 2014 and remaining stocks must be used or disposed of before the 30th November 2015.

Copper oxychloride (Bayer Garden Fruit and Vegetable Disease Control) is being withdrawn and cannot be sold after the 30th November 2014 and remaining stocks must be used or disposed of before the 30th November 2015.

So can you clever bods remind me, what are we left with? I really don't use any sprays often, but they are handy for emergencies.

[sparrow100]

I'm not promoting any magazine, just saying where the article is. In the same way that I say where the quote was. Why does that need editing?

[bearded bloke]

Because that magazine is in direct competition with the magazine that funds this forum, if you are unhappy with my moderation you are within your rights to bring this matter to the attention of the Administrators

[Snow]

I bought some last year which I didnt end up using, but plan to use it this year as I'm growing some main crops. Why is it being banned? I thought it was considered pretty mild compared to many of the other fungicides in use...

[Alison]

I bought some last year which I didnt end up using, but plan to use it this year as I'm growing some main crops. Why is it being banned? I thought it was considered pretty mild compared to many of the other fungicides in use...

Personally I think it's pretty nasty stuff and have always avoided using it (did buy some once but wasn't comfortable with the thought of using it). I believe it's been banned as the run off residue can build up in the soil and cause damage, especially as a high percentage of people over dose "just to be sure"

[Nicos]

The local organic gardeners here string copper wires over their plants so the rain drips off the wire and onto the plants...apparently they have been doing it for years as an alternative to Bordeaux mixture.
It'll be strange seeing young plants for sale here not covered in the fine blue powder if it is banned.

[sparrow100]

Because that magazine is in direct competition with the magazine that funds this forum, if you are unhappy with my moderation you are within your rights to bring this matter to the attention of the Administrators

I think it's heavy handed. It's not any form of promotion and surely no one thinks that there is only one magazine available? You don't have to be a magazine subscriber to be on this forum, it doesn't follow that I or others only buy one magazine or that one magazine covers everything. I think it's only right to cite the original source of a piece of information. I checked the rules/t&c on the FAQ section after you edited to see whether there was any mention of referencing other articles. There isn't.

Personally I think it's pretty nasty stuff and have always avoided using it (did buy some once but wasn't comfortable with the thought of using it). I believe it's been banned as the run off residue can build up in the soil and cause damage, especially as a high percentage of people over dose "just to be sure"

Do you mean Bordeaux mix, or the Bayer version or both? I've used bordeaux mix twice in 3 years, and it saved my outdoor tomatoes. I was looking into Bayer thinking it was an alternative though still copper based, but a) it might well not be and b) that's being withdrawn too.

So in fighting blight is there anything at all that we can use? My allotment site is particularly prone to late blight, and with people working/on holiday it doesn't often get picked up till too late. I don't really grow maincrop spuds anymore, but I would like my tommies to last a bit longer than they might otherwise in a damp autumn.

[Nicos]

Hi there sparrow...BB is just following rules set down by Admin which we mods have consented to follow.

Please feel free to pm Admin ...all rules should be up for review if they are deemed too rigid....I'm sure they will be happy to discuss with you why they have asked us mods to remove all mention of other magazines in competition with the GYO magazine....and who knows, they may review certain aspects of their policy.

[sparrow100]

If Admin see citing a source of news as such a threat to their readership that there is a blanket ban I very much doubt there is any point in pm-ing Admin. I don't like not being able to credit where I read something unless it's GYO. There's no point carrying on this part of the thread - I'll not post things I've read elsewhere here, I'll do it on other forums.

Any tips on managing late blight most welcome though.

[Nicos]

I have posted a tip sparrow...it might be worth trying?...it's supposed to work a treat on organic hops.

[sparrow100]

So you did, sorry, it took me a long time to compose that other post. I'll try that on a couple of the outdoor tomatoes. Thanks.

It's only withdrawn in the UK as I can make out. It has EU approval for a good few years yet. It gets liberally used in Italy too, on the vines and on things like the strawberry tree, which is everywhere as evergreen hedging where my FIL lives.

[Scarlet]

I've never used it and for that reason I now only grow my toms in the green house. Perhaps early bush type toms will produce before the blight hits?

[sparrow100]

I'm newly in possession of a greenhouse so some will be in there. The early bush idea is a good 'un, thanks. Hundreds and thousands are fairly early and black cherry seem to be a bit resistant.

I will be a bit nervous about my spuds though. I've a few weekends away and my plot's so wet they won't be in till Mayish. So around August/Sept I will be watching the leaves and blight maps like a hawk.

[veggiechicken]

I've never used that Bordeaux stuff either - never even considered using it, so certainly won't miss it1
Isn't aspirin spray recommended for blight these days?

[maverick451]

Maybe try the aspirin, probably not as effective but better than nothing

"A recent study by the US Department of Agriculture, found that the use of an aspirin spray, which can be made at home, resulted in a 47 per cent reduction in blight.

Im only growing blight resistant plants outdoors, ive bought a few 'crimson crush' tomato plants which claims to be the most blight resistant variety there is, they werent cheap but the plan is to take sideshoots to get multiple plants and then at the end of the year take cuttings for next year.