Tomato Blight

[berksmike]

I think my greenhouse toms have blight...
Several leaves have developed brown spots on their upper surface, worse on lower leaves.
Haven't a clue how it got there as I've been quite stringent with hygiene.
Have heard copper based fungicides can avert disaster (fingers crossed )
Has anyone had experience of it as I haven't in the previous 4 years of growing toms? If so any tips? Would hate to lose my lovely plants

Mike

[Nicos]

Sounds like it could be blight, but it is very early ....warm and moist conditions....
Spraying with copper sulphate from June onwards is meant to prevent it- no harm in trying it now to see if you can prevent it's spread.
Gut feeling is that it's too early and may be something to do with watering/extreme of temperatures.
Certainly hope it's not blight, but everything is so early this year...
Sorry not to be of much use.
I have had it every year since we moved allotments onto a peat soil- but never before June and NEVER in a greenhouse which is more protected from external fungal spores.
Fingers crossed for you. I would spray and remove and burn any affected leaves.
Suggest also you consider starting a few new plants for back-up

[berksmike]

My only other thought was it could be light frost damage as my heater packed up for a couple of nights...

Have given them a good feed and have been watering from the bases...

Just not sure!!! Will try and take a few pics and post

Thanks for your advice

Mike

[Nicos]

You're not overwatering them are you???? That can create brown tips too?(before the roots start to rot!! )

[berksmike]

Not particularly... Little and often and they're in large pots with good drainage

[buttercup]

i have a similar thing!
mine have slightly transparent light brown patches on a couple of the leaves!
just read another thread saying that it could be scorch marks from the window sill they are on!
now im really confused
im definately going to sow some more this evening tho!
just incase!
my chillis have a similar thing too they have little marks on the leaves they are slightly transparent, i have them on my window sill too!
is it blight too or scorch marks?

cheers buttercup

[roitelet]

Sounds more like scorch to me.

[Paulottie]

I agree with Nicos. I have not heard of blight at this time of year. It is normally outdoor toms in late July/August sounds unlikely esp. as you say hygeine was good and you are watering from the underneath. Blight normally has a faint mould ring edge underneath.

Maybe Tomato leaf mould?- normally yellowish on top and brown underneath,starts in lower leaves often... or Nicos could also be right about temp or the footrot- are the pots too big for the little babies? The bordeaux mix/mancozeb/cheshunt Idea sounds like a long shot and For safety it would warrant starting again with fresh everything....bummer eh! but there is still lots of time and I usually find later sowing of toms catch up quickly as they are less likely to be checked. Better luck Mike.

Buttercup, I think you have identified your light brown patch probs. Definately sounds like sun-scorch.

Apologies, just reread everything and i repeating you all! ah well! post it anyway. although in my defense roitelet wrote while I was returning a child to her bed.

[SimonCole]

At first guess Berksmike, I would say that you have a micronutrient imbalance and the one that spring to mind is boron. You tend to get brown-pitted spots on the upper surface of the leaf, but less so on the underside. The other deficiency that comes to mind is potassium, but I think the liquid feed you use would have ample amounts, less so of boron.
It tends to occur where the same soil has been used year after year. This may help: http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/modf1/05209709.html
If it were boron deficiency, I would go for a multipurpose feed, but check it has boron added. The other problem you may find is that excessive amounts of boron also have a confusing effect on plants, and if you have progressive scorching of the leaf edges, I would change the liquid feed and growing medium.
Either way, I would opt for a soil change.

[berksmike]

Have discovered the cause of my mysterious "tomato blight" on my toms...
My OH misread the instructions on the feed bottle and gave the poor toms chemical burns on their leaves!

Very relieved I am too as the thought of binning all my toms was not very nice!

[Nicos]

Ah well- we can all make mistakes!!

[kittykat8]

i have tomato blight had to troe some away how can I save whats left, anyone know where I can buy some bordeaux mixture

thanks

marion

[kittykat8]

thank you would B& Q sell it or homebase or anything like that

marion