M I asking for blight?

[Bal]

I have a 17 ft green house and have got 25 tomato plants in a staggered row down one side. Are they too close together. Will I encourage blight by pacing them in so much. They are a mix of brandywine heritage tomatoes, Alisa Craig, and Shirley. I could move some of them outside against a south facing wall. I already have about 8 plants outside. The Alisa Craig and Shirley. I have never had blight before and would be gutted if I got it now.

[veggiechicken]

IMO they're more likely to get blight if you put the outside. Trim off the bottom leaves so that more air circulates.

[Bigmallly]

If they are zig-zagged you should be ok but you will have to be vigilant with removing armpits & bottom leaves.

[Gillykat]

If they are zig-zagged you should be ok but you will have to be vigilant with removing armpits & bottom leaves.

I learnt that last year It was like an impenetrable jungle in the polytunnel before I had a tidy up

[Alison]

Congestion inside us more likely to lead to botryis due to lack of air circulation

[SusieG]

>>> I've crammed a fair few into my GH ..... When they're still fairly small they look ok, but as they grow and fill-out, they soon get overwhelming >>>

I'm determined to stay on top of them tho - as almost all germinated I had far too many, really, gave a few away but had to compost some ..... it was heartbreaking ....

So, hoping with plenty of 'hacking' away at unnecessary bottom leaves, armpits- I might get away with it....

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Bal! The secret behind it as all others have said is Good ventilation! As long as ya get good airflow, and also damp down the floor for good humidity, they'll be fine!

[Bal]

Thank you all so much for the replies. This is the best forum ever ��������

[Bal]

I took a picture to show how close they are.



Why are they upside down, there from my I phone, the emailed to I pad

[veggiechicken]

Now they've visited my laptop and been edited.
Much travelled photosc

[Baldy]

I thought that blight is spread by rain and associated splashes ?
If I'm wrong then my GH growing plans are all looking a bit wonky...

[Bal]

I've no idea how it's spread I have never had it before so don't know what to look for or the conditions that precipitate it

[Bal]

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Now they've visited my laptop and been edited.
Much travelled photosc

Thank you VC

[Martin H]

I thought that blight is spread by rain and associated splashes ?

Yes, that's correct. It survives over winter on living plants or tubers and seeds, which then grow up and release spores into the air. The spores drift on the breeze and stick to wet leaves or are deposited by rain. When the weather is warm and humid, the blight fungus grows rapidly.

The plants in the greenhouse should be pretty safe from blight as long as you keep water off the foliage and keep the air flowing, because any spores that find their way in can't grow and develop on dry leaves. It's only if everything gets too crowded the humidity goes up and the leaves become susceptible to blight or botrytis.

[Jonnyt]

Botrytis is far more likely in the Greenhouse than blight and like everything else more likely when you get overcrowded later in the season. The plants look fine at the moment IMHO just watch and trim as they grow