Potato blight - tomato growers beware!

I am sorry to say that I have found evidence of blight in the leaves of my potato patch.  Also, three tomato plants that are right next to it have been affected.  This is undoubtedly the result of the recent wet weather coming when Summer warmth had finally arrived.  As I understand it, blight needs just two days of high humidity while the temperature is high.

Most of my tomato plants are further away and are so far showing no signs.  I have now sprayed these plants in hope of avoiding the disaster of blighted tomatoes.

As fellow gardeners may know, potato and tomato plants should not be composted for fear of incubating and spreading blight spores.

Yesterday, to minimise the problem locally, I urgently cut and burned all of the green parts of my infected potato crop.  This will mean, of course, the tubers will not grow any further but, with luck, they will avoid the disease.  I hope too that the infection will not spread.

Almost all of our non-composted garden waste is put aside till Nov 5th but there are a few things that gardeners really must burn quickly, eg some invasive or diseased plants.  I am glad to say that I had collected every dry twig for months which meant that the fire in the incinerator was very fierce and quick.  Apologies to anyone who was inconvenienced.  Rest assured that nothing harmful or toxic was burned, only dry twigs and potato plants - this means that the billowing smoke was mostly water vapour.