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olivia_marie_gw

Let's talk about blight...

olivia_marie
12 years ago

Okay, this is the first year I've had issues with blight, and I'm wondering if any of the things I changed this year could be contributing factors:

This year, I used the Florida Weave instead of individually staking plants. I spaced 2 feet apart, as I have before. Could the fact that my tomatoes are touching each other more this year be a factor? Helping it to spread?

I also made a new tomato bed this year (as I upgraded from 8 plants to 24). I put it right in front of my barn; the plants are 2 feet from the wall. Did I make a mistake in cutting off air flow from the backsides of the plants? I have 3 plants in the garden proper, and I have noticed less problem in those plants. but, then again, that leads me to...

I'm trying 20 new varieties this year. Three of the four I've grown before are in the bed in the garden (those are less affected). Could it be I just selected varieties this year that are more susceptible? I grow only heirlooms. I don't start them from seed myself, but I always buy them from the same local ecology center.

I decided not to prune this year, except for around the bottoms of the plants. I may have gotten too lax pruning the bottoms and left too many leaves hanging out on the ground?

Or is it just this stupid, stupid weather? Incredibly wet spring/early summer (my tomatoes went outside early June), and the last several weeks have been boiling hot with HEAVY thunderstorms every few days.

I'd appreciate any advice and slaps on the knuckles you may have for me!

Olivia

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