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Is this tomato blight?

Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Posts: 516
in Problem solving
Hello
I have four good size tomato plants in the greenhouse, two of each of two varieties. They all have one or two leaves with brown marks on them, and two have fairly curled leaves but don't need water. These are two leaves off two plants. Could this be blight, and if so will it also affect the smaller tomato plants that are still to be potted on, plus the courgette, vine and cucumbers that are also in the greenhouse?
I gather there's no cure and everything needs burning if it is blight
Thanks

No longer newish but can't think of a new name so will remain forever newish.  B) 

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It doesn’t look like blight to me. Could the leaves have been splashed or scorched?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think that's as @Dovefromabove describes. Just a bit of general damage.  :)
    It's pretty normal as the plants grow, as it can become difficult if they're quite big, and they have less room round them.
    I only have a very small growhouse, so I'm quite aware of how congested the space can be, and it's quite tricky to get the water right in at the foot of the plants. I take off lower leaves, and also cut some back a little.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    Agree with above, blight is more common on outdoor tomatoes than indoor in the UK, the spores are in garden soil.
  • Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Posts: 516
    Thanks for the reassurance. The leaves are more likely to have been scorched than splashed as they are high up the plant, it doesn't seem to be affecting the lower leaves as much. I will keep an eye on them, but they've got enough space not to be touching, so I will try to keep it that way.

    No longer newish but can't think of a new name so will remain forever newish.  B) 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Can you put some shade netting or something in the greenhouse ... they like warmth but direct sun can cause problems if it’s hot. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Posts: 516
    Funny you should say that...I put some netting over the front and side of the greenhouse about a week ago. It's the first time I've used anything much to shade it and haven't had this issue in previous years, but this year is turning out to be a bit funny in a lot of respects.....
    No longer newish but can't think of a new name so will remain forever newish.  B) 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Stephanie newish gardener said:
    Funny you should say that... this year is turning out to be a bit funny in a lot of respects.....
    Too true 🙄 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    GemmaJF said:
    Agree with above, blight is more common on outdoor tomatoes than indoor in the UK, the spores are in garden soil.
    I thought blight was an airborne disease, seems there is conflicting evidence.

    quote
    Symptoms appears at the edge of tomato leaves, with dark, damaged plant tissue that spreads through the leaves toward the stem. ... Late blight does not overwinter in the soil because it requires live tissue to survive, but wind can carry spores up to 30 miles away from infected plants.

    Quote

    Blight spores can survive in the soil for three or four years. Only plant tomatoes in the same bed every three to four years, and remove and burn tomato refuse in the fall.

    My dad grew beautiful tomatoes in the same greenhouse for 25 years and I have done so ever since.  Never had blight.

    I also have an old garden book where the writer says you can compost the blighted  plants as it’s airborne and doesn’t live in the soil.  Who is to be believed. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Stephanie newish gardenerStephanie newish gardener Posts: 516
    @Lyn - I agree, there does seem to be conflicting advice. When I looked it up it said blight affects outdoor tomatoes more than greenhouse ones, but it said it can get into greenhouses through open vents, which suggests that at least one aspect of the disease is airborne, ie the spores. Maybe the disease itself lives in the soil but it releases spores which can travel through the air
    No longer newish but can't think of a new name so will remain forever newish.  B) 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Aren’t there at least two forms’ of blight ... Early Blight and Late Blight?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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