Monday, July 21, 2008

Tomato Leaf Blight



Cassie wants to know what tomato leaf blight looks like so i'm posting some photos. Here in the South the blight is inevitable because of the heat and humidity which make ideal conditions for it to get started and spread.
Many heirloom varieties are highly susceptible to it. That's why hybrid tomatoes were developed, to breed in resistance. We grow Big Beef as our main crop of slicing tomatoes. They are pretty resistant.
Making sure your soil is biologically active, high in organic matter and contains all the macro and micro-nutrients the tomatoes need makes the plants grow strongly and helps them resist the onslaught of the blight.

Spraying really good actively aerated compost tea regularly when the hot humid weather is predicted is very helpful in postponing the arrival and severity of the blight infestation. We have used Serenade Organic Fungicide ( the active ingredient is a bacteria called bacillus subtilus) and it helps some.

2 comments:

cassie said...

Huh. Thanks so much!

I don't have that yet but I definitely know what to look for now.

I recently read somewhere that you sell some of your produce at the Shed on Saturday mornings. I'm excited to check it out!

Anonymous said...

I apologise, but it not absolutely approaches me. achat levitra You are absolutely right. In it something is also to me it seems it is good thought. I agree with you.