bleach spray

[tryno12]

Thanks for the info/tutorial - much appreciated! I did the 4oz dilution last night after a couple days rain as a precaution. What exactly does blue mold look like and what fungicide do you use?
Thanks
Pete

[b54red]

Originally Posted by tryno12

Thanks for the info/tutorial - much appreciated! I did the 4oz dilution last night after a couple days rain as a precaution. What exactly does blue mold look like and what fungicide do you use?
Thanks
Pete

Pete it is called Gray mold. Usually the first indication will be one or two leaves deep in the shady portion lower on the plant that will look like they are wilting or even wet and drooped like boiling water was poured on them. It will also appear as gray to tan fuzzy looking spots on the leaves. When it is really bad it will affect the fruit with soft gray spots that rot the fruit and also have lesions on the stems like Late Blight but not as severe looking.

For me copper spray works better than Daconil for warding off Gray mold and it will even stop it if it is a very mild case sometimes. Copper in a stronger mix will sure give you some plant stunting on tomatoes so I prefer keeping to the lowest recommended rates and using it as a preventative rather than as a curative. When the gray mold shows up and it usually shows up on black tomatoes like JD's Special C Tex, Black Krim, Indian Stripe, Black from Tula and others that are similar. It is also deadly to some of the Green When Ripe tomatoes that I have grown in the past. It isn't usually a problem down here on most of the reds, pinks and golds unless they are right next to a black tomato that has a severe infection; but it may act differently in your climate.

Once you suspect you have Gray mold then the best course of action is to use the diluted bleach spray as described in the thread below. Read it carefully and make sure you understand how to mix it, apply it and when to apply it. Then use a copper spray after removing the dead and shriveling diseased leaves after the bleach has worked on the at least over night. I prefer to remove the diseased leaves after about 36 hours to give them time to shrivel up from the bleach spray.

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...t=bleach+spray

Bill

[tryno12]

Thanks a lot for all your time work to educate us on how to deal with deceases the correct way!
Pete

[jmsieglaff]

Really appreciate your post Bill. This doesn't look like my typical Septoria problem, based on online poking I believe it is gray leaf spot--which is different than gray mold or no? I'm removing bad leaves now and will spray this evening. Think bleach or copper?

[b54red]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

Really appreciate your post Bill. This doesn't look like my typical Septoria problem, based on online poking I believe it is gray leaf spot--which is different than gray mold or no? I'm removing bad leaves now and will spray this evening. Think bleach or copper?

I usually go with copper on any kind of speck or spot disease. That looks pretty severe so I hope it is only on some of the leaves.

I would probably spray the plants with the diluted bleach spray making sure to get the undersides of the leaves as well as all the stems and the mulch under the plant and then followup with a copper spray the next day. You might want to try it on just one plant to see how it reacts first. Sometimes with some diseases and problems or with badly damaged leaves the bleach spray will kill back all the affected leaves.

I used an alternating bleach and copper spray one time in August when I had a severe case of Septoria and it finally got rid of it but I lost a lot of foliage. But since we still had a couple of months most of them recovered for fall production.

Before using the bleach spray please read carefully the whole thread on its' use.

Bill

[jmsieglaff]

I'm now wondering if I sprayed bleach at too strong of a rate a couple days ago. I measure carefully and used 8.25%, but see spinach near the tomato plants with leaf damage that received collateral spray.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

I'm now wondering if I sprayed bleach at too strong of a rate a couple days ago. I measure carefully and used 8.25%, but see spinach near the tomato plants with leaf damage that received collateral spray.

I have to admit I have never sprayed the diluted bleach spray on spinach or anything like it so I have no idea if it would damage it. I wouldn't think it would unless it was mixed too strong or sprayed in the sunshine.

I generally start out with 4.5 oz to a gallon if I don't see any significant problem and if I do see a disease like Gray Mold I will use the 5 to 5.25 oz to the gallon. I have not had any damage to healthy leaves on any plants when it is applied near sundown or very very early in the morning. I did have some damage when I got a bottle of no name bleach that was significantly stronger than what was stated on the label or it had something else in it that caused the damage. Since then I have stuck with the Clorox brand but I always spray a small area first when I open a new bottle just to be sure.

Bill

[jmsieglaff]

I should add the burned edges aren't pictured here. Or at least what I think was that. My only deviation was a different brand of bleach. I pruned aggressively and treated with copper tonight. Fingers crossed.

[jmsieglaff]

And that picture was the worst leaf of all my plants. The crazy thing was how suddenly it appeared as I carefully check the plants daily, although I didn't on Saturday since I wasn't home until after dark. Again fingers cross between the leaf spot and the burning. I need to get some Cholrox brand bleach.

[b54red]

The copper spary will probably keep it under control especially if you have trimmed all the sick looking stuff off. Sometimes it takes several treatments to slow or stop many of those speck and spot diseases. They are very persistent in my experience. I had a bad one on my bell peppers one year and it took a couple of months before it stopped showing up on the leaves and peppers. I think the best offense with those type diseases is a good defense. By that I mean keep regularly using fungicides that help prevent them. Of course rainy weather can throw that strategy out the window sometimes.

Bill

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by b54red

The copper spary will probably keep it under control especially if you have trimmed all the sick looking stuff off. Sometimes it takes several treatments to slow or stop many of those speck and spot diseases. They are very persistent in my experience. I had a bad one on my bell peppers one year and it took a couple of months before it stopped showing up on the leaves and peppers. I think the best offense with those type diseases is a good defense. By that I mean keep regularly using fungicides that help prevent them. Of course rainy weather can throw that strategy out the window sometimes.

Bill

Thanks Bill,

I went out and peeked this morning. The plants are looking pretty good this AM, even if they are scraggly from much foliage being removed, except for the newest. The first plants will be opening flowers this week--a good week behind last year. Sunshine and breezy conditions the next few days should be good for them. Scattered afternoon showers/isolated storms are forecast, hopefully we can dodge those. I do really think some days of sunshine will help too.

If we get any rain the next few days I'll reapply copper. Typically I don't have leaf issues until mid/late June--but the cool, damp, cloudy weather must have taken its toll.

[jmsieglaff]

Bill,

The plants are now doing great. Some burn along leaf edge but not too bad. I will use only cholorox from now on. After pruning and spraying with copper, along with a stretch of sunny and warmer days (and dodging showers/storms Monday Tuesday), the plants are growing well and no return of any leaf spots.

Justin

[b54red]

I'm glad it has helped. Sometimes it can be very frustrating even for me and I have been using the bleach treatment for years but like anyone else I sometimes procrastinate doing what I know is necessary and then the plant pays the price. It took me several years and some bad experiences to finally realize the earlier you dive in and treat the plant correctly the better the chance for a good outcome. Just remember to never get in too much of a hurry and mix the stuff too strong or too weak as either will result in a poor outcome. I have had the best results with the least damage by spraying after sundown but sometimes I do spray early in the mornings and sometimes even in the middle of a cloudy rainy day; but only if I'm sure the sun won't be coming out.

Bill

[b54red]

I went out today and sprayed everything in my garden except my pepper plants with the diluted bleach spray. I have seen a little gray mold on a few things like beans and some squash and cucumber leaves and Early Blight is worse on my tomatoes this year than it usually is so I sprayed them from top to bottom. We have been having showers almost every day and sometimes three or four times a day and the humidity has been awful. With the constant rain it is hard to apply Daconil and expect it to stay on for any time at all and even copper is not very good when it rains this often. The forecast for the next ten days is over 50% chance of rain all but two days so I am expecting an onslaught of diseases, pests and split tomatoes.

Bill

[tarheelchick]

Last night I went out to check on my garden and found what I think was powdery mildew (or possibly grey mold) on my cucumber leaves. Mainly down at the bottom of the plant. I pulled off the effected leaves and this morning very early, I sprayed the entire plants with a copper spray. I want to follow up with your bleach spray and will also be spraying my tomato plants which are near the cucumber plants.

How long do I wait after spraying with the copper spray to use the bleach spray? A few days? Don't wait? Should I spray my tomato plants with the copper spray also? Also, we are expected to have rain showers tomorrow and possibly for the next several days after. Of course the horrific humidity here is a daily thing.