Late Tomato Blight

Can anyone tell me how to avoid the "Late Tomato Blight" I think it is called. The early tomatoes come out fine but toward the end of the season they get spots that turn to rot on green and ripe tomatoes, at the same time the vine starts to die. I love tomatoes and only plant about 4 to 8 plants. Each year I try to change the variety hoping I can find a resistant one but no luck. Would love some good advice.
Thanks ,
Jim Childress

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Permalink Reply by Samantha on June 1, 2008 at 9:45pm

The main thing in preventing late blight in tomatoes is to keep the foliage dry. When you water it is best to water the plant at the bottom. If you feel that you need to use a mister or sprinkler it is best to water early in the morning so that the foliage has a chance to dry out. Also it is best to put your tomatoes where the foliage will dry out quickly after a rain.

If late blight becomes severe enough, the following chemicals can be used:

chlorothalonil, fixed copper, maneb or mancozeb.

Copper is the only one that can be used if you want to raise organic tomatoes. Delete Comment

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Permalink Reply by Jim Childreess on June 1, 2008 at 10:08pm

Thank you Samantha,

If I have to use the chemicals I assume that I wait until there is evidence of the blight or should I start earlier. Where in Asheville can I buy the chemicals.

Again I hank you.

Jim C

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Permalink Reply by Samantha on June 2, 2008 at 11:53am

If you want to make absolute sure you do not get late blight, I would treat them before it starts. You can buy the chemicals at Lowes or Jesse Isreal at the WNC Farmer's Market. I would go with Jesse Isreal because they are a local business and more helpful than Lowes usually.

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Permalink Reply by Ruth Gonzalez on June 2, 2008 at 2:29pm

Hi y'all,

I am trying this blight-buster recipe: Mix 1 cup of compost, 1/2 cup of dry milk powder, and 1/2 cup of epsom salts together. Use a generous handful in each tomato planting hole.

Also here is Chip Hope's ORGANIC recipe for blight free tomatoes:

As soon as you set the plants out begin this ORGANIC FOLIAR spray program ~
Week one - spray with Serenade ( an organic fungicige...it's a bacterium)
Week two - spray with Serenade
Week three - spray with copper

Coat all sides of leaves and repeat this regimen until frost.

Other Blight Thoughts...Blight cannot be treated after the fact, it's more of a preventitive approach (even if you are using chemicals). You need to start before signs of early blight to be effective for late blight.

Samantha is right on about keeping the leaves dry. Some people even build plastic tunnels to keep the rain off the plants and use drip irrigation.

Also it helps to mulch around your tomato plants because the blight cannot bounce off the ground and up on to the leaves.

Good luck!
Ruth

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Permalink Reply by Jim Childreess on June 6, 2008 at 7:27pm

Thank you Ruth,
I will try all the suggestions for the blight. Up until about 5 years ago ( I have been growing tomatoes for at least 50 years) I had never had any problems with the blight. So I don't know what went wrong.
Jim C