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Mercersburg, PA

I have a 5 foot tall 5.64 TImm plant that is showing fairly bad signs of blight. it is right between a 7.33 Hunt and a 4.78 Lorson that each have about 1 pound tomatoes set right nowand arent showing bad signs of blight yet.... the TImm plant has some golf ball sized tomatoes set and several other nice megablooms pollinating right now. my inclination is to pull the plant to try to keep the others healthier longer. Should I pull it, or is the damage already done and i will have to ride it out? i have about 16 other plants growing giants also, so it would not hurt my chances of having something in the show at the end of the year.

7/26/2013 9:02:46 AM

Allentown, PA

Do you know for sure it's blight?

If so is it early or late blight?

Late blight lesions on foliage are
small, somewhat circular, and water-soaked.
As these lesions enlarge, their color changes
from pale-green to darker green or black usually starting on the top leaves of the plant.

Late blight is spread by the wind and the top leaves on tomato plants are the most susceptible due to being exposed the most to wind.

If caught early enough, early blight can be controlled by fungicide.

If it's late blight you need to immediately pull the plant.

Take a large garbage bag and place it over the top of the plant then cut the plant down as much as will fit into the bag.
Take another bag and do the same thing until the plant is completely removed.

Tie the bags tightly and walk away from your healthy plants and if possible take the long way around to the trash can as not to inadvertently release spores onto your healthy plants.

Take the tools that you used to cut the plant down and immediately soak them in straight bleach to kill blight spores that will be on your tools.

At the site of where the affected plant was, immediately soak the area in a four foot radius with fungicide.

After that is done it would be wise to change shoes as not to possibly spread blight spores to your healthy plants.

Immediately spray your healthy plants with fungicide.

Repeat that application in three days then, if all seems well start or continue your weekly fungicide application.

7/26/2013 9:29:26 AM

Allentown, PA

Addendum;

Also wash your hands thoroughly after removing the affected plant before doing anything with your healthy plants.

7/26/2013 9:31:51 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

The very first thing to do is to make the right diagnosis. If it is late blight the plant is done. If it is early blight you can treat and confine it. Next year begin to treat for blight as soon as you put your tomato plants out. The are systemic fungicides and surface treatments you can use. Right now I use Daconil as a spray once a week and right after a rain. Maybe it isn't blight or at least late blight. Marv

7/26/2013 11:58:16 AM

Mercersburg, PA

Pretty sure early blight. Leaves yellowing bottom up. Have been alternating daconil, milk and agri fos early on

7/26/2013 3:00:32 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Sounds good to me. Almost every patch around here has some Early Blight. It is never a real problem if treated. Late Blight is a different story.

7/26/2013 8:23:18 PM

Cameron

Trim off the bottom leaves so that they aren't touching the soil & allow for good airflow through the plant. A weekly fungicide application should help keep it under control. Good luck.

Jane & Phil

7/28/2013 7:52:02 AM