Fusarium Wilt and Late Tomato Blight.......

[boggybranch]

.....have claimed more victims. Have lost my summer squash and melons to Fusarium Wilt. And it appears that it is infecting my cukes, as well. Have had to pull up two tomato plants that were "LOADED DOWN", due to Late Blight....and it looks like it is trying to rear it's evil head on some of the others.
Now, I know this is just "part of the gardening scene" and should not, ever, surprise (only horrify) when it happens and I don't mind going to resistant hybrids, for a few years, on the cukes, squash and melons......but, I'm really bummed about the prospect of not being able to grow great tasting heirloom tomatoes.
Any words of wisdom and/or encouragement out there?

 

[vfem]

I had blight on my tomatoes last year... I lost several plants to it. My Brandywine kept going, but produced little because of it.

This year I just rotated beds and mulched better and I have heirloom only. I am watching like a HAWK and so far, so good.

As most of it spreads through the dirt onto leaves with heavy rain, it may stay in your dirt over a long time, but with enough mulch protecting the leaves, the stems won't allow the diseases to get back on the plant... so you should be good.

My Neem oil says its a great fungicide for things like blight, maybe a diluted amount on none infected leaves, and then removed the bad leaves, and the unsaveable plants.... and you can still have a decent harvest?

 

[boggybranch]

Thanks v.....maybe there is salvage hope, after all. I'll try these hints. I sure hate to think of lossing all my Box Car Willies...after waiting all year to taste them again. I read that, for the wilt, you can solar-sterilize the affected soil. I may give that a try. I know that doing that will, also, kill off the beneficial micros, too....but I got a LOT of rich compost to mix in and bring the soil back up to par.....maybe.
Sure is heartbreaking, tho.....but, I reckon if you bowled a 300 game everytime you bowled, you'd never have a challenge to overcome and it'd get boring.

 

[vfem]

Thanks v.....maybe there is salvage hope, after all. I'll try these hints. I sure hate to think of lossing all my Box Car Willies...after waiting all year to taste them again. I read that, for the wilt, you can solar-sterilize the affected soil. I may give that a try. I know that doing that will, also, kill off the beneficial micros, too....but I got a LOT of rich compost to mix in and bring the soil back up to par.....maybe.
Sure is heartbreaking, tho.....but, I reckon if you bowled a 300 game everytime you bowled, you'd never have a challenge to overcome and it'd get boring.

BINGO!