So many people have said that they have found tomato blight in their gardens this year. It's no surprise, considering the kind of year it was. I thought I'd do a little research for us, and see if there is there is something we can do about the problem.
Well, first of all, it seems there isn't! Of the several articles I read, they all seem to say the same thing, that blight is usually a result of poor weather conditions, making ideal conditions for the blight fungus to flourish. And that happened this year! Lots of rain, lots of humidity. The plants are stressed and are easy targets for blight.
If you see that your tomato plants have blight (yellow, spotty leaves; leaves falling off the plant; or spots on the tomatoes), then maintaining them for the rest of the season is the best that we can do. Remove all the dead leaves, and either burn them or throw them away. Do not compost them or leave them laying in the garden.
Not that we have to worry about watering them much this year, but if you do water them, be sure to water them at ground level and do not get the leaves wet. And don't over- water, so that they are not sitting with wet feet.
Since the year is almost over, when you do pull out your tomato plants, be sure to get rid of them; do not compost them or leave them anywhere in your garden. Next spring, do not plant tomatoes in the same spot (one article I read said to plant your new tomato crop at least 20 feet away!), and don't plant any tomato cousins there, either.
That would include potatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Also, I read that we have to make sure to leave lots of room between the tomato plants to allow good air circulation.
That's a lot of information, and it's pretty late in the season, so we will hope for a better year next year. I was chatting with a fellow gardener about this, and the question came up about whether to can tomatoes that have come from plants with blight. I don't know your personal experience with this. I have heard that the tomatoes will spoil, so I don't really know the answer to that question. The problem would be within the tomato, not just on top, so canning it might be going to a lot of trouble, and then it might spoil anyway. Don't forget, the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society regular meeting is on Wednesday, September 15, and our special guest Frank Woloschuk will be talking to us about how to get our gardens ready for winter. Then on Friday, it's the Fall Plant and Bulb Sale, from 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Parkland Mall.
There's always a lovely selection of plants, so come early for the very best selection!
Good luck with your tomato plants! Have a good week!
