anyone lost their tomatoes to blight already?

[Hangingbellyofbabylon]

well, we got further than last year, we've had a good few weeks of picking red ones so far but this week the whole lot have gone to blight, I harvested the lot today green or red and some look ok but last year even the decent looking ones succumbed to blight whilst ripening on the window sill . I love fresh toms from the garden but we're starting to think it isn't worth all the nurturing just to lose the lot to blight.

[sis]

Third year in a row for us! Getting seriously fed up of it.

[Sheeta]

yep, here too as well

[Sheeta]

Oh, just a though - if you've got loads of green ones, stick a banana near them and they'll ripen quicker

[Sheeta]

thought

[foxinsocks]

really sheeta? didn't know that as I have lots of greens left

I kept our tomatoes indoors till quite late this year and that seemed to keep them healthy (though nearly resulted in a divorce as dh was convinced the neighbours would think we were harvesting weed as the tomatoes took over the whole window )

[Sheeta]

They release a gas that speeds up ripening of other fruit (why you shouldn't stick bananas next to other fruit in a fruit bowl). I think it's ethylene but can't remember.

[foxinsocks]

thanks, I shall shove them next to the greens! (and remove them from the fruit bowl!)

[Sheeta]

[Hangingbellyofbabylon]

I read today that the little varieties seem to be more resistant - it's true to say that our big beefy toms went down first and just about the only plant that hasn't succumbed so far is the gardener's delight. It's hard, especially when you bring in green ones that look perfect and in a few days they are blighted too.

[telegramsam]

Does anyone know if it is OK to eat the tomatoes if the plant has blight. The tomatoes look fine but not sure whether they are edible or not. Thanks

[Hangingbellyofbabylon]

yes still edible but obviously not the blighty ones. We've been cutting out the blight and eating the rest and all fine.... so far...

[telegramsam]

Thanks....we'll tuck in then.

[frostyfingers]

I've lost two of my outside plants to blight, and now the greenhouse ones are affected. It's the first time for me so I'm hoping it'll be the last. Also had potato blight (but they were miles away from the outside tomatoes) - so frustrating.

[poopscoop]

this year I am growing tiny ones called million belles or something like that. No need to stake or fiddle with. I have a large crop grown straight in pots and have been sittingout there today alternating eating fresh picked victoria plums and cherry toms. I have one ordinary tomatoe plant and finding it such a faff.

[Hangingbellyofbabylon]

just made an incredible tomato soup with all the semi blighty boys- cut out all of the bad bits so at least I know it wasn't wasted effort to grow toms this year.

[princessmel]

What's blight??!!

This is the first year I've grown tomatos, well any veg actually!

We have lots of green ones, are we supposed to pick them now??

[Hangingbellyofbabylon]

blight is a horrible fungally type disease that toms and potatos can get. The leaves shrivel and go brown and the toms are next. If your tomatos look healthy then leave them on to ripen on the plant. If they do start looking dodgy sometimes it's easier to take them off and ripen them indoors. .

[princessmel]

Thanks

Some of the leaves at the bottom of the plants have gone browny, but I thought that was because they hadn't been watered enough

[Hangingbellyofbabylon]

the bottom leaves often do go a bit brown, you can quite safely take them off.

[princessmel]

ok , will do

I am a veg virgin.