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Tomato blight

Kezar's picture

Tomato blight (post #12596)

Kezar on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 16:23
in

I have bagged and disposed of all the tomato plants infected with d___ blight. What do I need to do to the soil? Will solarizing with black or clear plastic help? Of course, there is always the possibility of an early snow in western Maine - negate the plastic for sure.
Any thoughts?

-A +A
Catskill Deb's picture

(post #12596, reply #1 of 7)

by Catskill Deb in reply to Kezar [original] on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 01:48

Does d___ blight refer to the late blight that hit most of us in the Northeast?  According to the co-op extension, it's the late blight if all your tomatoes got the browning spots on them also, not just the vines and leaves.  The sites I read say that it won't overwinter UNLESS you have left a few potatoes in the garden, because it needs living tissue to survive.  If you have any volunteer potato plants next year, pull them out and bag or bury them just like you did the tomato plants this year.  Otherwise, the garden should be okay, although in the next breath they do all recommend planting the tomatoes in a different part of the garden next year (and NOT where you grew potatoes this year).  Hope that helps.

Kezar's picture

(post #12596, reply #2 of 7)

by Kezar in reply to Anonymous [original] on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 02:26

Thanks and , yes. It is the late blight. My tomatoes were totally destroyed. Sadness! I will build another couple raised beds and hope for the best for next year!

risottogirl's picture

(post #12596, reply #3 of 7)

by risottogirl in reply to Anonymous [original] on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 12:23

Mine was late too...and fast. Everything looked fine on Sunday, then on Wednesday...poof. I pulled out the plants and the yucky brown spotted tomatoes and bagged everything else. I only have two small raised beds and this one is the sunnier one, so maybe no tomatoe at all next year?

Water is a great ingredient to cook with, it has such a neutral flavor - Bobby Flay

Water is a great ingredient to cook with, it has such a neutral flavor - Bobby Flay

Catskill Deb's picture

(post #12596, reply #4 of 7)

by Catskill Deb in reply to Anonymous [original] on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 21:14

The co-op extension does state with great assurance that late blight cannot overwinter in the soil.  It only survives in living tissue like potatoes.  So if that bed's all you've got, I'd sure try it again.  Note that other tomato diseases (other blights, wilt, etc) ARE soil borne diseases, so that's probably the reason they recommend moving the tomatoes to another location.  If you didn't have issues other than late blight, it might be fine for another year in the same location.

jeana's picture

(post #12596, reply #5 of 7)

by jeana in reply to Anonymous [original] on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 22:55

Are they telling you to get rid of the tomato plants?

Jeana

Never try to baptize a cat.

Jeana Never try to baptize a cat.
Catskill Deb's picture

(post #12596, reply #6 of 7)

by Catskill Deb in reply to Anonymous [original] on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 01:21

Yes, bag 'em or bury 'em deep. 

jeana's picture

(post #12596, reply #7 of 7)

by jeana in reply to Anonymous [original] on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 03:29

'Swhat I figgered. I didn't think that someone who actually had credentials would recommend composting diseased material.

Jeana

Never try to baptize a cat.

Jeana Never try to baptize a cat.