Disease Control For Tomato Plants
For disease control on tomatoes we recommend using products that contain Neem oil, which can also be used on fruits, flowering plants, ornamentals, and roses to prevent black spot, rust, leaf spot, and powdery mildew. Neem oil also works to control many harmful insects. Safer Company makes a 3-in-1 product, that includes insecticidal soap for insect control, sulfur for fungicide, and neem oil. This spray does not harm beneficial insects and can be used on vegetables or any other plants.
Use a Stop Rot product on tomatoes to control blossom end rot.
IMPORTANT: If a tomato plant in the garden looks as though it is dying from a disease remove immediately to stop any spreading of disease to other tomato plants in the garden. Make sure to buy types of tomato plants that have shown good resistance to disease.
Homemade Recipes for Treating Fungal Diseases
If you are growing vegetables in containers or the garden you can use the following homemade recipes as a possible remedy and prevention for disease:
- Mix two tablespoons of baking soda into a quart of water. Pour into a spray container and spray affected areas. Repeat this process every few days until problem ceases.
- Powdery Mildew: Mix equal parts milk and water and spray on infected plants. Three treatments a week apart should control the disease.
- Insects and Fungal Diseases: Combine one tablespoon of cooking oil, two tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Pour into a spray container and spray foliage.
Disease Prevention Tips
- Water plants at the base to avoid splashing water on leaves.
- Mulch under plants to avoid leaf to soil contact. This is particularly important when growing tomatoes.
- Water or irrigate plants in the morning hours to allow any water that might splash on foliage to dry during the day. Water left standing on foliage overnight can quickly cause development of fungus and disease on foliage and flowers.
- Plant vegetables in well-drained soils to avoid root rot, leaf spot and other plant diseases caused by wet feet.
- Space plants properly instead of overcrowding. Overcrowding doesn't allow for good air circulation; one of the best preventive measures for disease and fungus.
- Make sure you select plants that have demonstrated tolerance to disease - especially if you garden in a hot, humid or rainy climate.There are many disease resitant varieties of tomato on the market today.
- Allow soil in beds and containers to dry out a little before watering, but DO NOT allow them to totally dry out. Do not water so much that the soil remains consistently wet. Overwatering plants is the number one cause of death.
- Rotate tomatoes in the garden. Plant them in a different area every year.
- Use a Stop Rot product on tomatoes to control blossom end rot.
SEE: Insect Control In The Vegetable Garden
ALSO SEE:
Growing Tomatoes
Organic Vegetable Gardening
Building A Raised Bed Vegetable Garden
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