TOMATO BLIGHT
- BY GEORGE EDGAR Most gardeners get
tomato blight. This disease is in the soil and can be caused by poor
garden cleanup in the fall, from plants too close together, from
overhead watering, and from rain splashing the spores onto the lower
leaves. At first sign of the disease, control with a good fungicide such
as Chlorothalonil, (Fung-onil, Daconil 2787, Ortho Garden Disease
Control), or Mancozeb, or Maneb (Earl May Tomato Blight Control), or a
copper based fungicide (Bonide Liquid Copper, Earl May Combination
Garden Dust, and Bordeaux). Be sure and
read label concerning the wait between application and harvest!!! Some are one day and some are
up to five days. The
best control is prevention: ·
Do not plant tomatoes too
close together. Plants need air circulation. ·
When plant is 36 to 48
inches tall, remove the lower 8 to 10 inches of leaves and stems. This
makes it harder for spores to splash on lower leaves and opens the plant
to better air circulation. ·
Do not overhead water after
2 p.m. Spores need a drop of water on the leaves going into cool evening
in order to infect plant. ·
Mulch with straw, grass
clippings, wood chips, or compost so spores will find it hard to splash
onto lower leaves. Make sure grass clippings have dried for at least two
days or they will mat and smell. · Remove any infected leaves. Do not put in compost pile or leave in garden June 19, 2005 |