Potato Blight Scare

[girl47]

I have just receiced a 'Blightwatch Alert' e.mail for my area ( Oxford ) . I have potatoes growing that were affected ny frost a little while ago and I dont want to loose them now - any advise please?

[shirlthegirl43]

You can buy bordeaux mixture to spray on your spuds to help protect them from blight.

[baggyman]

Is that the same as Dithane?

[shirlthegirl43]

Not sure, I just asked the helpful lady in my local nursery what I could use for spud blight and she gave me a bottle of bordeaux mixture.

[HeyWayne]

Not sure, I just asked the helpful lady in my local nursery what I could use for spud blight and she gave me a bottle of bordeaux mixture.

I've a nice bottle of Bordeaux at home, not sure I'd want to spray it on me spuds though.

[Cutecumber]

Bordeaux Mixture and Dithane are both fungicides but they are not the same.

Bordeaux mixture contains copper sulphate and slaked lime.

Dithane contains a synthetic fungicide called Mancozeb.

They are both toxic and need careful handling. Make sure you follow the instructions.

[Capsid]

I'm trying the T&M blight buster collection.

[anto]

Here's what we're trying, thanks to aroma oil advice, combined with companion planting principles AND Bordeaux mixture....as follows.

Why the mix? Because it allows you to use less toxic Bordeaux mix, apparently.

2oz equisitum(horsetail) boiled for 20 minutes in 2 pints water, made up to 2 litres. Add this to 10 drops Teatree oil in 4 litres of water, mixed in the watering can. Top up with 2 litres Bordeaux mixture = 5 parts Calcium carbonate(hydrated lime), 4 parts Copper Sulphate (toxic)[45gms lime:40gms CuSO4 in 2 litres water.]

Hope I got the calculations right. Now I'm off to try it nout.

Cheers.

[anto]

Meant to say, that all comes up to 8 litres, the size of our watering can!