Tomatoes are one of the most popular crops grown in the world and also tend to be quite sensitive to various diseases. Blight is perhaps the most common and destructive disease that affects tomatoes.
Whether you have planted your tomato plants directly in the ground or as a container plant, it is important to take measures against blight before it has a chance to take hold.
In this article, we’ll explore some ways that you can prevent blight in tomatoes this season as well as how to treat them if they become infected later on. If left untreated, blight can spread quickly throughout your tomato plants and cause irreparable damage.
Luckily, there are several natural ways that you can prevent blight from taking over your tomato plants this year.
What Is Blight?
Blight is a fungal disease that causes leaves to become wilted and discolored followed by the plant’s death.
This fungal infection thrives in wet soil conditions and can quickly spread from plant to plant, making it important to take preventive measures in your farm to prevent an outbreak.
Blight can affect a wide variety of plants including tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. The disease can be found growing in both moist soil and containers.
Unfortunately, once the blight has taken hold, there is very little that can be done to save your plants. Blight can be identified by the presence of black or brownish spots on the leaves and stems, and leaves that are wilted. If you see signs of blight on your plants, quickly identify and treat the source of the problem.
How To Recognize And Treat Blight
If you see wilted and discolored leaves accompanied by black or brownish spots, it is likely that your tomatoes have blight.
If you spot this on your plants, the best thing to do is remove the affected leaves as soon as possible to prevent the disease from spreading. If you don’t spot the signs of blight until later on in the growing season, you’ll need to treat your plants with a fungicide to help control the infection.
Blight can be very difficult to control once it has taken hold, so it is important to take measures to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Here are a few ways to prevent blight in your tomatoes:
Purchase resistant tomato varieties
Certain tomato varieties are more resistant to blight than others, so it is important to select a breed that resists blight if possible.
Avoid over-fertilization
Excess nutrients in the soil can cause bacteria and fungi to grow more quickly which can make your tomatoes more susceptible to this disease.
Avoid overwatering
Watering your plants too frequently can lead to soil that is too moist, making it easier for blight to take hold. Avoid watering your plants in the evening when they are least likely to need it.
Choose the right location
If your tomatoes are planted in an area where they are exposed to high levels of sun and moisture, they are more likely to be affected by blight. By growing your tomatoes in a less-exposed area, you can make it more difficult for blight to take hold.
Rotate Your Crops
In addition to selecting disease-resistant varieties of tomatoes, you may also want to consider rotating the types of crops that you plant in your farm each planting season.
Blight is a soil-borne disease, which means that it lives in the soil and is transmitted from one plant to the next. By switching up the types of crops you plant from year to year, you can help to prevent the soil from becoming infected with blight.
If your garden is plagued with blight, you should consider rotating your crops again the following season to prevent the disease from attacking your plants again.
Add Microbes To The Soil
If you are growing your tomatoes in the ground, you may want to consider adding a microbial fertilizer to the soil. Alternatively, you can also add the microbes to your compost before adding it to your garden.
Microbes are tiny organisms that naturally occur in the soil. They can help to control pests and diseases by attacking them from the inside out. By adding microbes to your soil, you can help to prevent blight and other common garden diseases.
Use Natural Pesticides
If you have already discovered that your tomato plants have blight, there are a few natural pesticides you can try to help control the infection.
Charcoal is a natural pesticide that can help to control the spread of blight by absorbing the toxins in the soil and preventing them from being absorbed by other plants.
Neem oil is another natural pesticide that can be used to control blight. This product is made from the neem tree and can help to prevent insects and diseases from attacking your plants.
Conclusion
If you want to keep your tomatoes healthy and free from blight, it is important to take measures to prevent the disease from taking hold.
Start by selecting disease-resistant tomato varieties, avoid over-fertilization, avoid overwatering, and choose the right location for growing your tomatoes.
What’s more, by rotating your crops and adding microbes to the soil, you can help to prevent blight from taking hold in the first place.
When you discover that your tomatoes already are affected by blight, there are a few natural pesticides you can try to help control the infection. Hopefully, these tips will help to keep your tomatoes healthy and delicious for many years to come.