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Old 29-07-2010, 10:03 AM
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Hi Hammer, that's rotten news. Blight really is dreadful when it strikes. You did the right thing by cutting the foliage down to the ground and then I would burn it. But don't dig any spuds up for at least two weeks because the spores from the potato blight will still be resting on the ground. These blight spores will die without any plant tissue to live on - so ensure that any bits of leaf or stem are removed from the ground. If you dig up any spuds now the blight spores will be able to attack the potato tubers - so hang on for two weeks. Check the tubers when you do dig them up for any sign of rot and if you are going to store the potatoes you will need to keep checking them incase some do start rotting. You must remove every single potato from the ground when you finally dig them up. This job is dreadful when the blight has reached the potatoes as the tubers turn into a stinking, rotting, mess. Some tubers look okay but when you pick them up, your hand just goes straight through the stinking, rotting tuber. Potatoes accidentally left behind could be hosting the blight spores. Good luck Hammer!

Rotation is important and a four year rotation is better than three. Don't grow tomatoes in that spot either for three - four years.

As you said halo blight is brought in on contaminated seeds but the bacteria doesn't stay in the ground so won't be a problem next year. But buy fresh seeds for next year.
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