Tomatoes are among the most commonly cultivated plants at home. There’s great joy in observing their growth, and an immense sense of fulfillment when savoring them at peak ripeness right after harvesting. Nonetheless, tomatoes tend to be susceptible to various issues.
tomato blight
, and if left unprotected, your entire harvest could be lost.
However, there is one technique that an experienced gardener shares which ensures your cherished tomatoes remain protected from tomato blight. Moreover, this approach is entirely natural—no harmful chemicals needed.
Tomato blight can be quite a challenge for both beginner and seasoned tomato growers alike. This disease targets the fruit and leaves of the plant, causing them to decay. If your tomatoes become infected, recovery isn’t possible. In dealing with tomato blight, prevention is the sole remedy.
Even though there are several techniques you can employ to minimize the harm inflicted by tomato blight, the most dependable approach—and the one that boosts your likelihood of cultivating a robust harvest—is to decrease the probability of tomato blight taking hold.
One method, endorsed by gardening authority Carrie Spoonemore, who co-created
Park Seed’s
From the Seed to Spoon app, this straightforward approach can halt tomato blight in its infancy—no specialized expertise required. Even if you’re new to cultivating tomatoes, this technique remains easy to implement.
Mulch your tomatoes
Certainly, your tomatoes will appreciate a nice layer of mulch. Besides aiding in water retention, suppressing weed growth, and enhancing soil quality, this measure can also help prevent tomato blight by minimizing the spread of damaging spores that get splashed onto the plants during rainfall or irrigation.
And it’s why Spoonemore says “Use a mulch to prevent soil from splashing on leaves,” and adds, “it reduces spore transfer.”
Once the tomatoes receive watering, the spores present in the soil can leap onto the plants, potentially leading to their wider dissemination. By applying mulch over a broad region surrounding your tomato plants, you prevent these spores from jumping up from the ground and damaging them.
To minimize the risk of water and blight spore splashing, it’s advisable to lay down mulch in a 2-foot-wide band around the base of each plant. Various types of mulch can be utilized, such as straw, wood chips, or grass clippings—any material that forms a protective layer between the soil and the plants.
What is tomato blight?
Tomato blight is caused by fungi and tends to occur frequently under warm, humid weather conditions between June and August. Tomatoes cultivated outdoors face higher risk compared to those inside greenhouses because outdoor plants encounter rainwater on their foliage, unlike greenhouse-grown ones which receive watering directly at the base. Additionally, indoor tomato plants have fewer interactions with air-borne pathogens originating from adjacent vegetation.
How to identify symptoms of tomato blight
Inspect the foliage, stems, and fruits for initial indications of tomato blight, searching particularly for circular dark markings roughly 0.3 inches across. These marks usually show up initially on older leaves, hence start your examination from the bottom part of the plant rather than the upper sections.
More from Tom’s Guide
- Discover 7 tips for growing juicy tomatoes
- What is the optimal time to harvest tomatoes from the plant?
- Furthermore, the most effective methods for supporting tomato plants.
Enjoying this article? To read more stories like this one, follow us on MSN by tapping the +Follow button at the top of the page.
