Market Farming

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



Courtney

 

I don't think you should give up either. The weather has been very conducive to foliar blights on tomatoes this season. You can do everything right and spray fungicides on top of that and still get these diseases, particularly with some varieties, including some hybrids. If we go into a dry spell it may give you enough season to make it worthwhile.

 

By the way, septoria can be differentiated from early or late blight by the very small black dots within the yellow areas of the leaves. These will alway be present with septoria, but nor early or late blight. the spots are no larger than a pinhead and will have space between them. If you don't find those spots, you probably have another fungal blight.

 

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

 

Well, i think i have septoria...I am not sure I have had any of the blights yet.  I just don't know what to do...I grow 94 varieties...not a big fan of hybrids, although there are a few i do grow every year.  But i love my heirlooms.  And have never had so many problems.  always have problems...but not much of it and so early.  I remove all plants come end of season and burn...i rotate my crops...but i am only growing on an 1/8 acre.  so what do i do when i can't plant in the same spot for 4-5 years, so i have read with septoria.  I don't have anywhere else to grow...and this is my business!  Very frustrating...as many of you understand i am sure.  almost all of the tomatoes out there have something.  I am going to count out of curiosity to see how many do and don't.  I won't give up on my heirlooms and i am going to see how many of my hybrids have "crap" on them too! 


Courtney
Herb Thyme
Middlefield, Oh

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