How to beat early blight?

[frdnicholas]

I'm in Southeast Coastal Georgia and the last 3 years early blight has ruined my tomatoes. This year I'm planting them in a new bed prepared with commercial soil, compost and some rabbit manure. I bought a product called Copper Funcicide that advertises it is used for blight. Is this the best product, and, if so, when is the best time to apply it? Is there a better product? While I wholeheartedly believe in the healthy soil makes healthy plants, I'm not against using a product that will help beat this situation. I should also mention our climate which, while not exactly tropical, is very humid and our summers have been getting hotter every year. I would be very grateful for any advice from folks who have successfully grown tomatoes. Thanks.

 

[YumYum]

It should tell you in the instructions on what to do with tomatoes and early blight. Just beware that copper can build up in the soil over time.

 

[Meadowlark]

... I would be very grateful for any advice from folks who have successfully grown tomatoes. Thanks.

Tomato grower in similar hot and humid climate here for many decades...never had early blight that I am aware.

Things I do that may contribute to that circumstance:

1) always rotate, never plant tomatoes in the same spot year after year and aways dispose of dead plants by throwing on burn pile not compost pile

2) plant in soil highly enriched with organic matter

3) give 'em space and air circulation...staking the plants and pruning (and disposing) any suspect leaves quickly

4) prune lower limbs that tend to touch soil

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Tomato grower in similar hot and humid climate here for many decades...never had early blight that I am aware.

Things I do that may contribute to that circumstance:

1) always rotate, never plant tomatoes in the same spot year after year and aways dispose of dead plants by throwing on burn pile not compost pile

2) plant in soil highly enriched with organic matter

3) give 'em space and air circulation...staking the plants and pruning (and disposing) any suspect leaves quickly

4) prune lower limbs that tend to touch soil

Good housekeeping goes a long way. Preventing is always preferable to curing, a fresh spot with new soil puts you well on the way. "Enriched with compost and some manure" doesn't sound a lot for tomatoes, when I plant out I make a decent size hole and fill around the plant with a 50/50 mixture of compost and manure in some pretty good soil.

 

[zigs]

Copper and lime are the ingredients of Bordeaux mixture which is the best thing I've found against it, but once it gets going it only holds it back a while.

You only spray enough to cover the plants and then you wash it off before eating them.

I agree with the others about the housekeeping, very good advice. As has been said, don't let any part of the plants (or any plant in the solanacea) overwinter on your plot as the blight will come back much worse the next year (Something to do with Oospores )

I try to grow the plants early to get ahead of the blight but it didn't work last year (We only have a short growing season) and all my outside tomatoes had to go on the bonfire just as they were ripening

 

[DirtMechanic]

You may not have early blight. We suffer a different pest in the state to your west. Do you have pictures, or could you recognize it in a picture?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I have been gradually acquiring buckets for growing tomatoes this year, they did well last year. I reckon being able to take them out of the greenhouse for a bit of wind and sun at first hand helps avoid quite a few problems. I am going to do it with the outside ones as well, so they can get a bit of shelter if the weather turns really bad.