Market Farming

["Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>]

I agree with Jay. If it's early blight, and it probably is, preventing soil 
particles from being splashed onto the plant will reduce the risk of 
disease. In small plantings I like to put down newspaper around the plants 
then cover the newspaper with a healthy amount of clean wheat straw. If 
possible, put drip irrigation down before the newspaper and push the plants 
to grow. Use stakes or tall wire cages to elevate the vegetation. Also, 
space the plants far enough apart to promote good air circulation. This 
dries leaves down quicker after wet events so diseases can't get a foothold 
on the leaf tissue.

Bill Shoemaker, Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
University of Illinois - St Charles Horticulture Research Center
www.nres.uiuc.edu/faculty/directory/shoemaker_wh.html


> I have good success in mulching heavily with straw at >the time the plants 
> are transplanted and secondly >pruning the lower leaves during the plants' 
> first month to >prevent soil spattering on them.  Moistened newspaper 
> >snuggled around the plant stem tightly before mulching >further reduces 
> the chances of early blight.