Last year I attempted to grow outdoor tomatoes for the first time for about
25 years. They all died from Tomato Blight. I understand that this was an
unusual event, but I am now slightly paranoid about blight on my outdoor
tomatoes this year. I have resolved to use Bordeaux mixture as required,
(apparently this is approved for organic crops, contra-intuitively) and I
have signed up for www.potato.org.uk/blight email alerts for my post code
address (and for my family and friends). It appears that I have been in a
full 'Smith Period' for most of last week and again today (Peterborough).
What's more there is potato blight in several regions of the uk at the
moment.

Anyway, I got out my (one year old) hozelock sprayer and attempted to spray
with bordeaux mixture. That sprayer is absolutely pathetic! The question is,
does anyone have any recommendations for an effective (reasonably
inexpensive) hand sprayer which works? Frankly, I'd rather spend a few more
pounds on one that actually works - so the 'effective' is more important
than the 'reasonably inexpensive' bit.

John

On 2008-06-02 16:51:52 +0100, "John E" said:

Last year I attempted to grow outdoor tomatoes for the first time for
about 25 years. They all died from Tomato Blight. I understand that
this was an unusual event, but I am now slightly paranoid about blight
on my outdoor tomatoes this year. I have resolved to use Bordeaux
mixture as required, (apparently this is approved for organic crops,
contra-intuitively) and I have signed up for www.potato.org.uk/blight
email alerts for my post code address (and for my family and friends).
It appears that I have been in a full 'Smith Period' for most of last
week and again today (Peterborough). What's more there is potato blight
in several regions of the uk at the moment.

Anyway, I got out my (one year old) hozelock sprayer and attempted to
spray with bordeaux mixture. That sprayer is absolutely pathetic! The
question is, does anyone have any recommendations for an effective
(reasonably inexpensive) hand sprayer which works? Frankly, I'd rather
spend a few more pounds on one that actually works - so the 'effective'
is more important than the 'reasonably inexpensive' bit.

Sounds like you might get a replacement sprayer under warranty -- try
calling Hozelock on 0121 313 1122. Others have found them very good at
repairing/replacing, even beyond the warranty period. It could be
something as small as a corroded 'O' ring, especially if you have left
liquid in the bottle for a long time, and these are an easy DIY repair
- see http://www.hozelock.com/uploads/pdf/SPRAYER-SPARES.pdf

As for your tomatoes, I don't know anyone who had a good tomato crop
last year so nil desperandum.

"Stan The Man" wrote in message
...
On 2008-06-02 16:51:52 +0100, "John E" said:

Sounds like you might get a replacement sprayer under warranty -- try
calling Hozelock on 0121 313 1122. Others have found them very good at
repairing/replacing, even beyond the warranty period. It could be
something as small as a corroded 'O' ring, especially if you have left
liquid in the bottle for a long time, and these are an easy DIY repair -
see http://www.hozelock.com/uploads/pdf/SPRAYER-SPARES.pdf

As for your tomatoes, I don't know anyone who had a good tomato crop last
year so nil desperandum.



Except the greenhouse growers, would you not agree ?

Regards
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com

"Pete Stockdale" wrote in message
...

"Stan The Man" wrote in message
...
On 2008-06-02 16:51:52 +0100, "John E" said:

Sounds like you might get a replacement sprayer under warranty -- try
calling Hozelock on 0121 313 1122. Others have found them very good at
repairing/replacing, even beyond the warranty period. It could be
something as small as a corroded 'O' ring, especially if you have left
liquid in the bottle for a long time, and these are an easy DIY repair -
see http://www.hozelock.com/uploads/pdf/SPRAYER-SPARES.pdf

As for your tomatoes, I don't know anyone who had a good tomato crop last
year so nil desperandum.



Except the greenhouse growers, would you not agree ?

Regards
Pete
www.thecanalshop.com


Apparently not. If you look at one of the forums about last year's disaster
(http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=366), there are a few people there
posting about problems in greenhouses. Specifically:

"Dave on July 23rd, 2007
Blight in the greenhouse tommymatoes..what despair after the most massive
boasting to all and sundry about my wonderful crop.. but what should I do
about disinfecting my greenhouse after removing plants and gro-bags?..please
help if you can..also what about the tommys.. those that seem crummy have
been disposed of..are the rest ok to use ?
From a very smallholder "

Good luck,

John

"Stan The Man" wrote in message
...
On 2008-06-02 16:51:52 +0100, "John E" said:

Last year I attempted to grow outdoor tomatoes for the first time for
about 25 years. They all died from Tomato Blight. I understand that this
was an unusual event, but I am now slightly paranoid about blight on my
outdoor tomatoes this year. I have resolved to use Bordeaux mixture as
required, (apparently this is approved for organic crops,
contra-intuitively) and I have signed up for www.potato.org.uk/blight
email alerts for my post code address (and for my family and friends). It
appears that I have been in a full 'Smith Period' for most of last week
and again today (Peterborough). What's more there is potato blight in
several regions of the uk at the moment.

Anyway, I got out my (one year old) hozelock sprayer and attempted to
spray with bordeaux mixture. That sprayer is absolutely pathetic! The
question is, does anyone have any recommendations for an effective
(reasonably inexpensive) hand sprayer which works? Frankly, I'd rather
spend a few more pounds on one that actually works - so the 'effective'
is more important than the 'reasonably inexpensive' bit.

Sounds like you might get a replacement sprayer under warranty -- try
calling Hozelock on 0121 313 1122. Others have found them very good at
repairing/replacing, even beyond the warranty period. It could be
something as small as a corroded 'O' ring, especially if you have left
liquid in the bottle for a long time, and these are an easy DIY repair -
see http://www.hozelock.com/uploads/pdf/SPRAYER-SPARES.pdf

As for your tomatoes, I don't know anyone who had a good tomato crop last
year so nil desperandum.



Hello Stan. Thanks for replying. I was beginning to wonder if the trolls had
won, and nobody could be bothered to reply to this - maybe my failure to
provide a header which did not look like a spam post. However, I appreciate
your reply. Maybe Hozelock is the best in the business, and short of using
an old (free) kitchen disinfectant sprayer, maybe I was unlucky with their
product.

John

On 3/6/08 14:07, in article , "Pete Stockdale"
wrote:


"Stan The Man" wrote in message
...
On 2008-06-02 16:51:52 +0100, "John E" said:

Sounds like you might get a replacement sprayer under warranty -- try
calling Hozelock on 0121 313 1122. Others have found them very good at
repairing/replacing, even beyond the warranty period. It could be
something as small as a corroded 'O' ring, especially if you have left
liquid in the bottle for a long time, and these are an easy DIY repair -
see http://www.hozelock.com/uploads/pdf/SPRAYER-SPARES.pdf

As for your tomatoes, I don't know anyone who had a good tomato crop last
year so nil desperandum.



Except the greenhouse growers, would you not agree ?

Yes. Our greenhouse ones did very well and our outdoor ones were hopeless.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

On Mon, 2 Jun 2008 16:51:52 +0100, "John E"
wrote:

Last year I attempted to grow outdoor tomatoes for the first time for about
25 years. They all died from Tomato Blight. I understand that this was an
unusual event, but I am now slightly paranoid about blight on my outdoor
tomatoes this year. I have resolved to use Bordeaux mixture as required,

Hi John
Tomato blight was not an unusual event last year. I have had blight
on my outdoor tomatoes (but not potatoes) for the last 7 years.
One year I tried Bordeaux mixture on them (before the blight) and it
delayed it a bit but left a nasty bluish-white powdery deposit on the
leaves and fruit, which made them nasty to handle and every fruit had
to be washed before eating and I didn't like it on my hands. The
blight still arrived!
I grow them on my allotment and everyone suffers the same.
Blight usually comes in August, or after a dry period when the rain
comes, and the rain brings the blight.
I have heard that if you can make a polythene shelter over the outdoor
plants to keep the rain off, you may keep the blight off too.
That site looks useful. I got info from HDRA (now called Garden
Organic).
Good luck

Pam in Bristol

"Anne Jackson" wrote in message
...
The message from "John E" contains these words:

Hello Stan. Thanks for replying. I was beginning to wonder if the
trolls had
won, and nobody could be bothered to reply to this - maybe my failure to
provide a header which did not look like a spam post. However, I
appreciate
your reply. Maybe Hozelock is the best in the business, and short of
using
an old (free) kitchen disinfectant sprayer, maybe I was unlucky with
their
product.

John, my dear, if I'd had time to go up to the top of the garden and find
out
the make of the sprayer that's been living in my shed for the past forty
or
so years, I would have done so! As is is... 8-(

Sorry you were somewhat bereft of replies...

Not a problem. Don't worry. I just wondered if there was something out there
that I was missing.

John

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 2 Jun 2008 16:51:52 +0100, "John E"
wrote:

Last year I attempted to grow outdoor tomatoes for the first time for
about
25 years. They all died from Tomato Blight. I understand that this was an
unusual event, but I am now slightly paranoid about blight on my outdoor
tomatoes this year. I have resolved to use Bordeaux mixture as required,

Hi John
Tomato blight was not an unusual event last year. I have had blight
on my outdoor tomatoes (but not potatoes) for the last 7 years.
One year I tried Bordeaux mixture on them (before the blight) and it
delayed it a bit but left a nasty bluish-white powdery deposit on the
leaves and fruit, which made them nasty to handle and every fruit had
to be washed before eating and I didn't like it on my hands. The
blight still arrived!
I grow them on my allotment and everyone suffers the same.
Blight usually comes in August, or after a dry period when the rain
comes, and the rain brings the blight.
I have heard that if you can make a polythene shelter over the outdoor
plants to keep the rain off, you may keep the blight off too.
That site looks useful. I got info from HDRA (now called Garden
Organic).
Good luck

Pam in Bristol


Thanks Pam.

I'm surprised that you had blight problems in 2006, because I recall that as
a very dry year. For me the blight arrived last year in mid-late June after
prolonged rainfall. We have had a lot of rain here in the last few days, and
it remains humid today, although the weather is a lot better now. How long
it may continue is anyone's guess. At least the damp weather does wonders
for most of the other crops in the garden!

John

On Jun 2, 4:51 pm, "John E" wrote:
Last year I attempted to grow outdoor tomatoes for the first time for about
25 years. They all died from Tomato Blight. I understand that this was an
unusual event, but I am now slightly paranoid about blight on my outdoor
tomatoes this year. I have resolved to use Bordeaux mixture as required,
(apparently this is approved for organic crops, contra-intuitively) and I
have signed up forwww.potato.org.uk/blightemail alerts for my post code
address (and for my family and friends). It appears that I have been in a
full 'Smith Period' for most of last week and again today (Peterborough).
What's more there is potato blight in several regions of the uk at the
moment.

Anyway, I got out my (one year old) hozelock sprayer and attempted to spray
with bordeaux mixture. That sprayer is absolutely pathetic! The question is,
does anyone have any recommendations for an effective (reasonably
inexpensive) hand sprayer which works? Frankly, I'd rather spend a few more
pounds on one that actually works - so the 'effective' is more important
than the 'reasonably inexpensive' bit.

John

Hi John, nice to see you here. We have a Hozelock Courier 8 which
goes pathetic from time to time, all it needs is the nozzle and every
joint taken off and washed thoroughly. If a part has coroded or
refuses to spray, you can get them replaced easily. We also have a
small Hozelock hand sprayer, however, I have also used a similar one,
no particular make, bought from Poundland for spraying roses which
works just as effectively.

I hope that helps.

Judith