Blight Warning 25-06-14

redser7

Blight Warning
Weather conditions conducive to the spread of Potato Blight will develop today and will continue on Thursday and Friday.

There will be opportunities for spraying today over much of the country, though opportunities will be limited in northern areas.

Issued:Wednesday 25 June 2014 04:00

http://www.met.ie/nationalwarnings/default.asp

jprboy

Thanks, redser.

I often find, though, that these blight warnings come too late so I tend to keep an eye on the weather forecast.

The forecast had been hinting at humid conditions from today onwards since at least last Sunday and I'd been watching it closely since then.

I ended up spraying at approx 10.00 last night.

redser7

True. I've been watching too and was expecting a warning before this. Someone at the met's been away on holiers I think

Gerobrien25

jprboy "I ended up spraying at approx 10.00 last night."

Agreed and I ended up doing the same thing, why couldn't they issue the warning earlier or give a day or 2 notice of "possible blight conditions". If I hadn't sprayed last night I wouldn't have gotting the chance today, my wife informed me its been raining contantly since 8 this morning at home.

jprboy

Yeah, really need to keep an eye on the forecast and, if in doubt, out with the knapsack!

I started a thread entitled Blight 2014 back in May so will hopefully post in there next time I suspect that blight conditions might be on the way.

My Potatoes

Thanks redser. The useful date in the title makes a big difference.

Maidhci

Thanks for warnings here. I have been spraying potatoes with 'left over' Dithane from last year, which has all been used at this stage. As Dithane is no longer easily available, I have looked at an alternative - Bordeaux Mixture, which is extremely expensive, approx. €9 for 350g packet. This pack size is sufficient to mix approx. 15 litres, if I am reading the directions correctly. I use approx. 3 x 20 litres of spray per spraying which will work out very very expensive. Are there any alternatives to Bordeaux Mixture available or are there larger packs available? Thanks for any suggestions / help.

gk5000

Proxanil Blight Control (1 Litre) - about




Proxanil - 1 litre - does about 1 acre - costs about €30.
Available in some garden centre's (Horgans) and online - http://www.thegardenshop.ie/blight-control.html


Have not tried it myself yet, but its a systemic (aborbed into the plants) as opposed to just blocking/barrier like dithane or bordeaux.


Supposedly has a curative affect also if used within 3 days of blight attack.
As far as I know it is also used by commercial growers, and is the only commercial product available in relativly small consumer doses.


I assume it lasts several years (I've been using my same 500g pack of dithane for 5 years now)

Gerobrien25

Met Eireann must be reading this thread they have issued a blight warning for later in the week.

redser7

Thanks I'll pop a new thread up

My Potatoes

Maidhci wrote: »

Thanks for warnings here. I have been spraying potatoes with 'left over' Dithane from last year, which has all been used at this stage. As Dithane is no longer easily available, I have looked at an alternative - Bordeaux Mixture, which is extremely expensive, approx. €9 for 350g packet. This pack size is sufficient to mix approx. 15 litres, if I am reading the directions correctly. I use approx. 3 x 20 litres of spray per spraying which will work out very very expensive. Are there any alternatives to Bordeaux Mixture available or are there larger packs available? Thanks for any suggestions / help.

I use Burgundy Mixture:
http://www.giyinternational.org/index.php/forum/viewthread/1618/#4784