HGandG Blog - We`re back and we have blight!
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| We`re back and we have blight! |
| Mon, Sep 12, 2011 |
| Yes, the summer holidays are over and we're back to the business of gardens, not that we'd really been away... Well, we have kind of, mainly enjoying the Cornish coast and Bedgebury Forest in Kent, but I won't treat you to the slide show! So, blight. Do you have it? Our tomatoes are wiped out. Across the board. Very disappointing. We managed up until about the last week of August then they went, practically within 12hrs. We salvaged as many green tomatoes as possible with a view to ripening them on a sunny window ledge but they have also succumbed and rapidly turned black. So the tomato harvest is well and truly over (except for the lucky few in my polytunnel which are currently still thriving). On the plus side we haven't lost any of our potato plants and have experienced a good crop with some unusual heritage varieties this year. I think I've mentioned before about what you are looking for when assessing for blight - firstly it will be a black/brown patch on either the stem or a leaf. This rapidly spreads (because it is airborne) through the plants and eventually to the fruit, turning them black, mushy and inedible. You must dispose of the foliage thoroughly - burning is best - so that the blight is killed and not allowed to spread. On a more cheerful note, we have a new member of the team - Hannah. She is another RHS qualified gardener and has a wicked sense of humour, we love her! If you are local to Caversham then you will see an interview with us in the October issue of Round & About magazine. We are singing from the rooftops about starting your veg patch in the Autumn/Winter - it really is the best time of year and you will get great results if you take the time to prep the ground properly now. And one final note.... I have acquired my first bee hive, yet to have any bees in it, but stick with the blog and you'll hear more during next summer. Advice warmly received! TJ |
