How do I deal with tomato blight?

[Impret-Sir]

This spring I planted a single 'Alicante' tomato plant in a big patio pot. It produced a large plant that is currently laden with green fruit. However, the plant no seems to be dying, the stems have developed black patches along their length, and the fruit no these stems are going black near the stems, the problem seems to be spreading all over the plant. So, my questions are, is this tomatoe blight? How did my plant contract it? I used a clean pot and new compost, and have no other tomatoes and nor does my neighbour. And of course, can I do anything about it or will the plant just die?

[Clanad]

In general, there are two types of "blight", early and late (convenient, no?) This time of the growing season you are probably dealing with late blight. Caused by fungal spores, it will soon destroy your plant. There are a number of treatments, ranging from purely organic to more effective (in my opinion) chemical applications. There's a new product, however, available here in the U.S. just this year. The trade name is Serenade Max. It treats the fungii differently than the cornmeal tea/milk organic applications or the more chemically driven Daconil. Since Serenade is produced by AgraQuest, Inc., which is a mulit-national company, it should be available in your area. It's developed with QST 713, a strain of dried Bacillus subtilis which, organically attacks the fungii responsible.
Did you grow tomatoes in the same pot last year? Big no-no for pot grown tomatos. Additionally, don't water the plant by drenching the leaves... only the soil and then being careful not to splash the water, since this is where the fungus originates... Best of luck!

[Impret-Sir]

Thanks for that info, I got some sparay on stuff from the garden centre called Bordaux Mix, which is apparantly the tried and tested method of control, if not eradication. It contains copper so it stains the plant blue! So far the plant is holding its own and although parts of it look a bit sick, its at least not getting any worse!

[WendyS]

Your infection sounds very much like blight and I'm afraid it has been very common all over the country this year because of the cold & wet weather conditions. I've heard of a numer of cases where everybody's entire tomato crop has been destroyed, especially on allotments where there are lots of them growing. Several days ago I noticed mine starting to show signs on infection even though no neighbours around me grow vegetables. I've also sprayed mine now, have snipped off the affected dead leaves and the individual fruits affected but don't know whether my actions have been enough to prevent me losing my whole crop. Keep your tomato leaves dry and water only around the roots. This may at least prevent the fungus from being spread but blight is so deadly that it's really difficult to prevent it progressing once it has taken hold.

[Figi]

I'd love to know how Wendy has kept her outdoor tomato leaves dry during the recent monsoons! All my outdoor tomatoes have blight this year ane there's no way I would countenance spraying them.