#97645
Jul 26th, 2007 at 08:03 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
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OP
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805 |
Can anyone help me......what's the best way to treat blight? I think I might have it on my potatoes and zucchini so far. The leaves look shriveled up and brown around the edges. I did take some pictures but we had a virus on our computer and my Hubby hasn't completely finished setting everything back into order.
Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 16,245
TweetyBird
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TweetyBird
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 16,245 |
Blight is a virus that gets in the soil. It can effect the soil far {?50-100 yards} from where the affected plants are. I know its more common in tomatoes. Do you have pics to be sure thats what it is? (when the puter is feeling better)
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,183
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,183 |
My tomatoes are what usually gets blight and I chop off the infected leaves and make sure my mulch is thick. The mulch will prevent the foliage from touching the ground, or the dirt splattering on the leaves, and infecting the plant. You might also check for aphids, they are enjoying my cukes right now, but my ladybug larvae are enjoying the aphids, so the cycle is working.
Sarah - Zone 5b/6
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
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OP
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805 |
I'm just getting my computer back and slowly setting it all up again. Will have pictures later.
Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
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OP
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805 |
Here are some of the pictures I took. potatoes... Zucchini Tomato Is it blight... can any help me identify the problems here.
Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,229
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,229 |
The potatoes look like the lower leaves are just dying off. Not sure why but i don't suspect a fungal problem. I'd be more concerned with the younger leaves curling up. Either way, they are pretty well advanced so you should get a decent crop. The zuchinni may have a fungal problem. Are the fruit getting really thin at the blossom end? This can be from a potassium deficiency. It can also cause leaves to have 'burnt' margins. Remove any suspect leaves and destroy them anyway. Zuchinni love a liquid feed. The tomato looks like it has blossom end rot, a calcium deficiency, often brought about by inconsistent watering. They often recover as the plant gets a bit older. Try and water deeply every few days rather than a little bit every day and give a feed of liquid fertiliser occassionally. Mulch helps retain soil moisture and keeps the soil temperature cool on hot days. Don't water your plants in the evening if possible. Leaves being wet overnight is a great way to spread fungal problems. If you must water in the evening, try just flooding the soil and not splashing soil up onto the leaves.
The secret is the soil.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
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OP
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805 |
Longy, thanks so much for your input. We have been kind of worried about blight on our potatoes, but from what you are saying it just may be more of a deficiency or just plain getting ready to come out. My zucchini have blossom end rot for sure, so I'll do as you say and cut off all the bad leaves and make sure they get a liquid feed. I'll also do the same with my tomatoes, they're in a greenhouse and it's been extremely hot the last few weeks and I may have been watering them (not on the leaves, just in the soil) too much. I do give them tomato plant food once a week, so I'll try the deep watering.
Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
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OP
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805 |
Just an update since last week, my tomatoes and zucchini are looking good. I'm still picking off the ones with blossom end rot so they won't pull nutrients from the other fruits. But I'm getting many beautiful ones now. Gave my plants a good dose of fertilizer and calcium by a tum tablet. My potatoes are doing ok as well, the bottoms of some plants are still yellow, but the tops are healthy. Will be doing a soil sample to see what it may be.
Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
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