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Can you eat tomatoes with blight?

omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96
in Problem solving
Hi all

Im pretty sure my tomato plants have succumbed to blight (see picture below). I picked off all the tomatoes yesterday, but I was wondering if I can still eat them? They look ok and not diseased, except for some which were rotting so I threw them away. Just wondering if the ones that look ok are safe to eat.

thanks!

Posts

  • omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    That does look like blight 😭 

    As long as the tomatoes  aren’t discoloured and/or rotting they’re ok to eat.  In such cases I usually add them to a chutney pdq. 

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





  • omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96
    @Dovefromabove Third year growing them, first time I’ve had blight 😢 Must be all the rain we had!

    ok thanks that’s good to know! What about the soil they were growing in, is it ok to use it or put it on compost heap?

    thanks again!
  • pinutpinut Posts: 194
    Yes, it is ok to reuse the soil for growing tomatoes again next year.

    However, drill a few more holes in the pots and add a trowel or two of sharp sand into each pot to improve drainage. 

    Make use of the soil now by planting garlic and harvesting early next year before planting tomatoes.

    In future, be meticulous about pruning and training the tomato plants for good air flow. Water carefully and diligently (water the soil not the leaves).

    Also, learn how to tie in tomato stems properly. If you use bamboo cane supports then tie the cane first before tying a loose hoop around the stem just under a leaf - loose hoop because stems expand as they grow.

    All of these little things help.


  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I disagree. Don't use the soil for tomatoes next year. Use it for digging into the ground for another crop, such as beans. If it is compost it will be exhausted of nutrients anyway, but can be used as a soil conditioner in the ground. If tomatoes are planted in the ground you should leave 3 years before planting in the same place again.

    Always use fresh compost for planting tomatoes in pots.

    You can eat blighted tomatoes. Cut off the bad bits. Best to use for cooking or chutney though.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 239
    I’ve had blight on some of mine but the tomatoes are fine and good eating ! All grown outside - the yellow plums and tumbling Tom yellows are going just great 😁 they dont seem to need the sun to ripen, 
    first time growing toms for 20 years for me so I’m chuffed tbh 😁😁
  • pinutpinut Posts: 194
    If you read the wikipedia articles on Alternaria solani fungus which is generally responsible for early blight and the Phytophthora infestans microorganism which is responsible for late blight, you will find that they backup my advice regarding management of the problem.

    Although they may exist in the air, water and dormant in the soil - as long as you don't provide conditions conducive to their growth (wet leaves, warm and highly humid conditions) then it will not be a problem.

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Difficult to avoid though, @pinut, if growing tomatoes outdoors, particularly in a warm and wet area.  And of course Ireland's climate is ideal for blight.  Our weather forecasts include a blight warning, if necessary.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • pinutpinut Posts: 194
    In a large field, yes, it would be more difficult to avoid due to infected remnant crops or other plants in the nightshade family in the vicinity which act as hosts to help the blights to overwinter.

    However, you have more control when growing in pots in a relatively smaller area such as a garden.


  • omghiomg_123omghiomg_123 Posts: 96
    Thanks all for your advice! 
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