Tomato late blight is an insidious disease caused by the Phytophthora fungus. The danger of infection lies in the lightning spread of spores in warm and humid weather. The fight against late blight requires a consistent approach and a combination of various methods.
In this article, we have prepared for you a list of effective folk remedies that allow you to get an environmentally friendly harvest. We will talk about methods for preventing the infection of tomatoes in open and closed ground.
The danger of late blight
Phytophthora infestans is a fungus that reproduces by zoospores. Translated from Latin it means “destroying plants.” The name speaks for itself; the fungus completely destroys the plant tissue it enters. Causes a disease - late blight. Most often, nightshades (potatoes, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes) are infected.
The spores spread quickly in high humidity conditions and can cause irreparable damage to farms. Signs of late blight appear in early July. During this period, the most favorable conditions for the growth of the fungus develop: high air humidity (above 75%), temperature fluctuations day and night, abundant morning dew.
Reference . In dry and hot weather, the development of the disease stops, and the spores themselves quickly die in the heat.
Signs of late blight damage to tomatoes:
- dark brown spots on leaves, stems and fruits;
- white fluffy coating on the back of the leaves;
- deformation of tomatoes.
The photo shows tomato leaves affected by late blight.
Mechanism of action
Peroxide is an unstable compound. When a substance loses one of its two oxygen atoms, the oxidizing power of peroxide is manifested. It works as follows: when peroxide reaches the surface of plants, it attracts electrons from harmful cells, as a result of which their cell membranes are destroyed, and bacteria and other microorganisms, including fungal spores, die.
When feeding tomatoes with peroxide solution, the plant receives additional oxygen. This occurs due to the fact that when peroxide molecules enter the soil, they break down into water and oxygen. The released oxygen atom penetrates through the soil into the roots of plants, as a result they become healthier, and therefore their resistance to various diseases increases.
Rules for processing with folk remedies
Traditional methods of treating tomato late blight require a special approach. Before you start spraying your crops, experienced farmers recommend testing this or that product on several bushes to determine its effectiveness.
The rules for treating tomatoes against late blight with folk remedies in open ground and in a greenhouse have some differences.
In the open ground
Tomatoes growing outdoors are less likely to become infected with late blight in conditions of low humidity and high air temperature. Infection occurs during periods of prolonged cold weather and heavy rains.
Treatment with folk remedies is carried out in dry and warm weather, in the evening, to prevent sunburn on the leaves. Products based on kefir or whey can be used even daily; they are absolutely safe for plants.
In the greenhouse
When growing tomatoes in greenhouse conditions, it is undesirable to use chemicals, since the crop ripens constantly. In this case, it is recommended to pay attention to traditional methods that are safer for human health, but no less effective.
Before irrigation, the bushes are carefully inspected and affected leaves, stems and fruits are removed. Initially, the plants are irrigated every three days. Then they switch to preventive treatment - once every 1.5-2 weeks.
Important ! Products containing copper are used only in extreme cases and individually. The excess accumulates in tomatoes.
What it is?
Hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide) has the formula H2O2 and consists of a compound of water and oxygen.
The main and most famous property of peroxide is its ability to destroy bacteria and fungi. Peroxide is used not only as a local antiseptic, it is used to treat various diseases, as an active substance in bleaches and washing powders, and is used in cosmetology and agriculture.
Hydrogen peroxide can be found on sale in the form of aqueous solutions of varying degrees of concentration, as well as in the form of tablets (hydroperite). The standard concentration of hydrogen peroxide solution, familiar to everyone, is 1-6%.
The cost of hydrogen peroxide depends on the packaging method, the volume of the bottle, as well as the pricing policy of the pharmacy chain. On average, the cost of one 100 ml bottle of peroxide is 15-20 rubles.
The best folk remedies
Getting rid of late blight and obtaining environmentally friendly products is possible only by using folk remedies.
Late blight quickly gets used to the drugs, so you often have to experiment and combine formulations. What worked great last year may be completely useless next year. The fight against late blight with folk remedies will be successful if the proportions for the solutions are strictly observed.
Milk serum
Whey from sour milk is diluted in settled water in a 1:1 ratio. Spraying is carried out every three days starting in July.
Yeast
For 10 l. water, take 100 g of pressed yeast and completely dissolve. The product is used from the moment signs of late blight are detected.
Infusion of garlic and potassium permanganate
100 g of garlic cloves are crushed and poured into 250 ml. warm water. Leave for 24 hours, filter, bring the volume to 10 liters. and add 1 g of potassium permanganate. The bushes are treated once every 10-14 days. Consumption per plant – 500 ml.
Horsetail infusion
150 g of fresh or 100 g of dry raw materials are poured into 1 liter. water and simmer over low heat for half an hour. Then add 5 liters. water and cool to room temperature. Use to treat bushes once every 1.5-2 weeks.
Saline solution
One faceted glass of rock salt is dissolved in 10 liters of water. Used for preventive treatment of plants, first removing affected foliage, stems and fruits.
Soda
Dissolve 1 tbsp in 5 liters of water. l., soda, 1 tsp., liquid soap and add 3 tbsp. l., vegetable oil. The prepared solution is used to spray bushes once a week.
Milk and iodine
For 10 liters of water, take 1 liter of low-fat milk and add 20 drops of iodine. The bushes are treated once every 14 days. The product not only effectively fights late blight, but also promotes the growth of green mass.
Copper sulfate
50 g of crystal are diluted in a glass of water and the volume is adjusted to 5 liters. It is advisable to use the product during the day, since the solution cannot be stored for long periods of time. A fresh portion is prepared before each treatment.
Copper sulfate is used in several stages:
- The first treatment is carried out before sowing the seeds. The soil is moistened with a solution of 3% (30 g per 1 liter of water) using a spray bottle once.
- The second treatment is carried out before picking the seedlings into separate containers. 24 hours before transplanting, moisten the soil with a 1% solution (10 g per 1 l).
- The third treatment with a 1% solution is carried out when transplanting seedlings into the ground. Consumption per hole – 1 liter.
- Quadruple processing is carried out at the stage of tomato formation. The green mass is irrigated with 0.5% (5 g per 1 l) liquid.
Boric acid
Dissolve 10 g of boric acid in 10 liters of hot water and add 30 drops of iodine. The bushes are treated once every two weeks.
Wood ash
For 10 g of water take half a bucket of ash. Stir thoroughly and leave for three days. Then add 50 g of laundry soap shavings and mix again. Use the solution three times: after planting seedlings in the ground, before flowering, after the formation of ovaries.
Infusion of rotted hay
For 10 liters of water, take 1 kg of hay, a handful of urea and leave for three days. Then the infusion is filtered and used to irrigate the bushes once every 10-14 days.
Kefir
1 liter of low-fat kefir is left in a warm room for 48 hours. The fermented fermented milk product is diluted in 10 liters of water and used to treat the bushes once every 14 days, after planting the seedlings in the ground. If the summer is wet, treatment is carried out every week.
Copper wire
Copper has a strengthening effect on plants and protects against late blight infection. In practice, wire with the thinnest cross-section is used. The material is cut into pieces 3-4 cm long and the stem is pierced at the very bottom. Adult plants with stronger stems are subjected to this treatment. To prevent injury and stunted growth, wire should not be wound around bushes.
Tinder fungus
The dry mushroom is twisted in a meat grinder or finely chopped with a sharp knife, and poured with boiling water (100 g of tinder fungus per 10 liters of water). Cover the container with a lid and leave to brew. After cooling, the liquid is filtered and used to treat the bushes once every 1.5 weeks.
HOW TO SAVE TOMATOES FROM PHYTOPHORA WE SAVE TOGETHER WITH ME
Preparation of the solution
For different processing methods, peroxide solutions of varying concentrations are used:
- for soaking seeds – 3 ml per 100 ml of water;
- for soil treatment – 20 ml per 1 liter of water;
- for spraying plants - 2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water.
Peroxide is diluted in warm water, watering or spraying is done immediately after preparing the solution. Due to the instability of the compounds of the peroxide molecule, the finished solution cannot be stored.
In order for this processing method to produce results, it is important to comply with the solution consumption rates:
- To soak the seeds, enough liquid is enough so that the seeds are completely immersed in it.
- When cultivating the soil before planting, pour 1-2 liters of solution into each hole.
- When spraying bushes, the amount of product depends on the size of the plant. It is important that the solution gets on all the leaves and stems of the tomatoes.
Preventive measures
To prevent the spread of late blight spores and protect tomatoes, it is recommended to follow the following preventive measures:
- Autumn treatment of greenhouses with sulfur bombs.
- Spring disinfection of soil with copper sulfate.
- Control nitrogen levels in the soil and restore the natural balance using peat and coarse sand.
- Moderate watering.
- Frequent loosening of the soil.
- Stepping and thinning.
- Mulching the soil with sawdust and pine needles.
- Ventilation of greenhouses.
- Covering beds in open ground with spunbond (agrofibre made from environmentally friendly polypropylene).
- Timely application of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.
- Compliance with the principles of crop rotation (the best predecessors of tomatoes are white and cauliflower, zucchini, legumes, pumpkin, onions).
- Soaking seeds collected by hand in a solution of “Fitosporin” or “Phytodoctor”.
- Treating holes for seedlings with boiling water or a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
Advantages and disadvantages
Using such an affordable tool has many advantages:
- the plant receives additional oxygen, which has a beneficial effect on its growth and productivity;
- soil and seeds are disinfected;
- tomatoes become less susceptible to diseases;
- seed germination improves.
When H2O2 is used correctly, the product has virtually no disadvantages. Its only disadvantage is its low effectiveness in advanced cases of late blight.
Farmers' advice
We recommend using the recommendations of experienced farmers to combat late blight:
- Provide dry air and moderate watering in the greenhouse.
- After planting seedlings, mulch the soil with sawdust, pine needles or peat.
- Keep vents and doors open for pass-through design.
- Water the bushes strictly to the roots.
- Do not allow condensation to accumulate on the walls of the greenhouse.
- Water the bushes in the evening with warm, settled water.
- Do not water in cloudy, damp weather.
- Choose the most late blight-resistant hybrids and varieties.
- Pay attention to tomatoes with early ripening and fruit yield. They simply do not have time to become infected with late blight.
- Immediately remove and burn affected stems, leaves and fruits, and disinfect the tools.
- Monitor the level of nitrogen in the soil. Its excess promotes infection.
- Try not to plant tomatoes in the same place every year. Areas where potatoes, peppers and eggplants were grown are not suitable for planting.
- To replant tomatoes in a greenhouse, sow beans, peas, and lentils in the fall.
