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Long Island,New York

Early blight is back here on Long Island already...with a week of wet comming its only going to get worse...be warned.

6/5/2012 6:40:00 AM

Williamsburg,KY

I was just gonna ask, what do you use for early blight G?

6/5/2012 9:00:42 AM

Allentown, PA

Dedicated use from day 1 of planting of a fungicide - Daconil the most frequently recommended and sold as Ortho Multi-Purpose Fungicide - is the only preventative that I know of. Of course good planting techniques such as fall garden clean up, wider spaced plantings to improve air circulation, avoiding over-head watering and soil splashing, mulching, keeping plants well-fed and unstressed, etc. can't hurt. ;)

Early blight spores (caused by fungus Alternaria solani) are carried over in soil but are also airborne so prevention with the steady use of an anti-fungal spray seems to be the only real solution from all I have read and experienced.

Staking and mulching are important in an early blight control program, since staking keeps foliage and fruit from contacting the soil surface, and mulching cuts down on "soil splash" onto lower parts of the plant. Since soil particles often contain the early blight fungus, this is a good way of keeping the fungus from invading plants. Plastic, or organic mulches (pine straw or even newspapers) are equally effective.

Application of fungicides is also generally needed for early blight control. Field tests have shown that chlorothalonil, maneb, and mancozeb fungicides --- all available at gardening supply stores under a variety of trade names --- provide effective early blight control when used according to label directions and applications are started early in the season.

As an added plus, any of these fungicides may be "tank mixed" with an insecticide such as malathion or sevin, thus allowing a single application for control of disease and insects.

Begin fungicide applications as soon as possible after transplants are set out and continue at 7 to 10-day intervals throughout the season. Also, applications should be made after a rain. Other leaf diseases such as leaf mold, gray leaf spot, and Septoria leaf spot are controlled by these fungicides.

6/5/2012 9:12:02 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Late Blight reported in Pennsylvania.

http://extension.psu.edu/vegetable-fruit/blog/2012/late-blight-confirmed-on-tomato-and-potato-in-pennsylvania

6/5/2012 11:26:16 AM

Long Island,New York

All of PA-J's comments have merit. Personally I have had great success with Daconil or ortho's garden disease control......chlorothalonil or something like that. I also trim the bottom leaves of the tomato plants to get up from the ground splashing or ground contact. I do mulch...usually with grass clippings...and sometimes I even use a square of weed barrier before I mulch to prevent soil-splash, not so much for early blight but for other soil nasties.I also use a 2 ft diameter by 4-6inch high cut section (ring) of high density polypropelene drainage pipe around the plants- helps separate them from the garden so I can spray roundup easier, and helps hold the water when I water. Seems to work well here and Ive had tomatoes when all other locals have let thiers die so theres something to it.(but they dont spray at all so take it for what its worth.)

6/5/2012 5:40:43 PM

Williamsburg,KY

Thanks PA-J and G, I have been using Daconil and will be trimming the lower leaves. I will be mulching with some dried grass clippings as soon as I trim the lower leaves. I have sturdy cages and well, we will just see how this year will go. Last year was a disaster.

6/5/2012 7:33:23 PM

Allentown, PA

I'm glad to have helped you.
We have to stay diligent.

6/5/2012 9:21:10 PM

canal winchester ohio

Daconil works fine but when rotated with Quadris I have no problem with blight at all.

6/5/2012 9:55:13 PM

Williamsburg,KY

Next time at in the big city, I will get some Quadris.

6/7/2012 8:16:50 AM

Williamsburg,KY

Just checked out the prices on Quadris..$400/ gallon, guess I wont be getting that the next time I go to the big city.

6/7/2012 5:51:53 PM

canal winchester ohio

Yea, It's expensive. Got 6 guys to split a gallon when I got mine.

6/7/2012 6:41:28 PM

virginia

Paul can u still eat the tomatoes, when spraying Quardris on them????? Thanks,,,,greg

6/7/2012 8:52:01 PM

canal winchester ohio

Yea, the EPA approved Quadris for use on tomatoes years ago.

6/7/2012 8:57:20 PM

virginia

Thanks Paul,,,,,greg

6/8/2012 2:54:22 PM

canal winchester ohio

Croley, you can buy Heritage on line for $120 for 4 oz. Same active ingredient and since the mix rate for tomatoes is 1 teaspoon.per gallon of water for foliar spray that's about 24 applications if you mix a whole gallon.

6/8/2012 3:12:21 PM

Pataskala,OH

Don't have fungus on anything, barely any rain for about a month. Humidity has been very low

6/8/2012 3:19:26 PM

canal winchester ohio

but with tomatoes nic you can go to bed with healthy plants & wake up with blight...or it seems that way sometimes

6/8/2012 3:28:32 PM

canal winchester ohio

BTW Nic I've been watching your diary, how are those 239's I gave you doing?

6/8/2012 3:30:11 PM

Rapid City, SD

just wondering how daconil tastes?

6/9/2012 12:27:02 PM

Pataskala,OH

@ huffspumpkins

The 239 Leonard plants are doing well, the vines are probably 2 ft long now. I expect they will grow quickly this week with the higher temperatures. I started 3 239's but I only had room for 2. I have 4 watermelon plants in the center of a a 500 sq ft area I will cull it down to 2 eventually and have them grow opposite directions. At least one of the plants will be a 239 Leonard. I gave the extra 239 plant to away to a cousin, they will probably grow a bigger one then me. The 255 Mitchell seeds that I payed for rotted. lol

6/9/2012 2:14:57 PM

Pataskala,OH

@huffspumpkins

If I have a potential record breaker growing in August you are welcome to see it. lol There is not much to see right now It wouldn't be worth it.

6/9/2012 2:21:07 PM