There is no way to treat blight so prevention is the most important thing when it comes to keeping your tomato plants healthy for a bumper crop
Tomatoes are a home-garden favorite but the plant’s success can easily be thwarted if blight strikes. Luckily, a simple gardening tip could help keep your crop safe this season.
Gardeners are being urged to add mulch around their tomato plants to protect them from blight, a common fungal disease that thrives in wet conditions and can quickly ruin even the healthiest-looking vines.
When used in conjunction with regular monitoring and preventative measures, it can prove particularly effective.
Blight spreads easily through moisture, especially when your plant’s leaves are splashed by water that may contain pathogens during watering. Mulch serves as a natural barrier between the soil and your tomato plant.
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That’s not the only benefit of using mulch as it also keeps roots cool, helps them retain moisture, and cuts down on weed growth to ensure a bumper tomato crop.
When choosing the right mulch for your garden, experts recommend natural options like straw, wood chips, or grass clippings.
You’ll need to add a thick layer, typically about two to three inches is best, but be careful not to get the mulch too close to the plant’s stem.
This could mean trapping in too much moisture.
You can also prevent blight by making sure your plants are well spaced apart so their leaves don’t touch and using the proper watering technique.
Always water at the base of the plant, not overhead where you’re likely to soak the leaves.
Signs of blight include wilting or browning on the leaves and stems. If you spot these you’ll have to work fast to tackle it.
As there is no commercially available fungicide that can reverse the damage, you’ll need to prune the infected parts of the plant straight away and possibly even remove the whole plant so it doesn’t pose a risk to the others in your crop.
