MudFlaps

ChoctawMan · Joined: 14 Nov 2011 Posts: 62 Location: Ouachita Parish

I posted this over on TNS and got no response. I should have known better. But, I know there are lots of gardeners on this site who can offer suggestions.
I have lost almost my entire tomatoe crop (40 plants) to southern blight, some plants which I had replanted. I did some research and found little encouragement for saving this years plants or even next years planting. Rotating crops in my garden was about the best help offered.

Does anyone have any proven remedies to overcome the blight??
_________________
Tell it like it is!

Lori Beth · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:47 pm Post subject:

oh-no! Mr. ChoctawMan . . . Lord-willing - I will see what can be gleaned from ol'folks at the church-house Sunday . . .
_________________
We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:36 pm Post subject:

My husband says, " put wood ashes around your tomato-plants " --- then he said to cut the black-leaves off, just 'might' save the plant - that's all he knows and oh & water-it--soaker hose is best! but if you have a pipe let it run down the middle between the rows i.e. act like an irrigation-pipe, if you water from above the plants will burn . . . & start earlier next year ~

there must be something to the charcoal (wood-ashes) whether from a fireplace/woodstove or a burnt brush-pile ....

Raymonie's garden is in the combined spots where My! dad (when he was alive) had burn piles (where he 'sat his chair by the heater')---things that went into the burnpile were all-kind of tree-limbs, sticks, pine-cones, empty corn-cobs...not set on one particular type wood, just anything that had to be out of the walk-pathways and lawn-mowers . . .

AND there was a neighbour that put that stUff (charcoal/wood-ashes from fireplace-woodstoves) around their big ol'Cherry-tree to keep blight off of & the cherries were picture-perfect! . . .

sorry, don't know what wood they used to heat with . . .
_________________
We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Snowbird · Joined: 27 Mar 2012 Posts: 56 Location: Way up NAWTH!

ChoctawMan, here's an observation I've made. A friend planted tomatoes for the first time last year. Everyone's tomatoes got blight EXCEPT hers. So, I was thinking it was because her soil had never been used before. Yet, you'd think the disease would be airborne from her neighbour's plants. She told me the other day that she faithfully sprayed fertilizer on her tomatoes. Then my brother told me Saturday he has the healthiest tomatoes this year...while most folks have blossom end rot. He also faithfully fertilized his plants.

I wonder if fertilizer could be the answer. Could it be that a healthy plant receiving nutrients regularly is immune to blight....kinda like our bodies? Confused

What is your experience? Do you use fertilizer throughout the growing season?
_________________
Best daily exercise:
Walk with the Lord!
- Granny's notes

Mudloggerone · Joined: 24 Mar 2009 Posts: 29716 Location: Franklin Parish

I'm lucky enough to have never faced that problem Choctaw nor has mom in the last several years. She and I both side dress out tomaters several times with 13-13-13 and I also put wood ash on my tomato rows.

Lori I've been trying to find out if anyone new of cherry trees working in our area. Do you know anymore about that tree? Type?
_________________
I'm a happy Deplorable that likes my Crumbs!
Cat 2-15, Lil' 3-20, 13 yr 3-21 (lace)

ChoctawMan · Joined: 14 Nov 2011 Posts: 62 Location: Ouachita Parish

Thank You Lori, Snowbird and Mud for your suggestions. I've never tried woodash, but I know it helps keep the soil loose and aerated and adds potash to the soil. Fertilizing is of course a given. I did fertilize using the MiracleGrow tomatoe plant food. Also, I added 13-13-13 before planting this year. This is the third year for my garden. It's not real large, about 35' X 40', and I plant tomatoes, various peppers, squash, cucumbers and green beans. The first two years, I had the most beautiful tomatoes with no diseases, even during the 100 degree+ weather. The second year, I rotated the tomatoes and planted rows in a different place from the first year. This year, I planted them in the same place as last year. I did not rotate this year. Some of the research I found on controlling the blight says it is soil-borne and may stay in the soil for up to 5 years. Aerating, fumigating and treating the soil with fungicide are suggested treatments to clear the soil of the blight, but not guarantees. Next year I will of course rotate the plants to a different area, and to be on the safe side, plant some tomatoes in pots and in a flower bed. Losing 40 plants was sickening especially when many of them were loaded with large tomatoes. Thanks again for your help!
_________________
Tell it like it is!

Mudloggerone · Joined: 24 Mar 2009 Posts: 29716 Location: Franklin Parish

Good luck Choctaw.
_________________
I'm a happy Deplorable that likes my Crumbs!
Cat 2-15, Lil' 3-20, 13 yr 3-21 (lace)

Lori Beth · Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 1:16 pm Post subject:

. . . there was one elderly lady at church said she knew a man that might could help but he's retired now from the ag-extension-service and was going to give me his name and phone number, still a-waiting . . .
_________________
We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Mudloggerone · Joined: 24 Mar 2009 Posts: 29716 Location: Franklin Parish

Mudloggerone · Joined: 24 Mar 2009 Posts: 29716 Location: Franklin Parish

Speaking of blight all of my plum trees suffered from it this year except for one. That one tree did very well though.
_________________
I'm a happy Deplorable that likes my Crumbs!
Cat 2-15, Lil' 3-20, 13 yr 3-21 (lace)

Lori Beth · Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 2:19 pm Post subject:

. . . know of none anymore around anywhere ~ they're all gone-bye-bye ~ even my brother's cherry tree ~ his came from our local Wal*Mart garden-center . . . sorry to have kept you still-a-waitin'
_________________
We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Mudloggerone · Joined: 24 Mar 2009 Posts: 29716 Location: Franklin Parish

Thatt's okay Lori, I had until spring.
_________________
I'm a happy Deplorable that likes my Crumbs!
Cat 2-15, Lil' 3-20, 13 yr 3-21 (lace)