Preventive Measures when and what?

[Wolfie1038]

I feel really "Rookieish" (is that a word)? Last year I was plagued with Early Blight, leaf spot, and Late blight. While the fruit continued to grow, the plants looked TERRIBLE! I want to avoid that this year BEFORE it starts. I have both Daconil liquid concentrate AND Neem. I am relatively new to this and I'm not sure what to use and whento use them. I am reading a lot and I think Neem is for bugs and Daconil is for fungus, etc. Is that right? I put my plants in a couple weeks ago and they look great but I wanted to know when I should start "Preventive" measures and with what. Thanks in Advance.

[Gardeneer]

When , What ..
WHEN: as soon as you take seedlings out or buy them from store and bring them home.

WHAT : The most widely used fungicide is DACONIL. That is synthetic. There are organic ones too,
Loke some copper based and Neem oil based.

HOW OFTEN : Depends on the rain. Normally once from 7 days to 2 weeks. But you repeat it after rain even though it has not been 7-14 days from the last time.

[clkeiper]

There is also a product called oxiphose (I do believe) that works as a systemic fungicide. We are using that and we bought a fertilized called Hi Brix that supposedly it will reduce the risk of fungal disease. Use a good healthy fertilizer if you can find one. Build up your soil with organic mass. Keep leaves trimmeded about a foot above the soil to keep water from splashing up off the ground and leaving soilborn fungus on the leaves.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Wolfie1038

I feel really "Rookieish" (is that a word)? Last year I was plagued with Early Blight, leaf spot, and Late blight. While the fruit continued to grow, the plants looked TERRIBLE! I want to avoid that this year BEFORE it starts. I have both Daconil liquid concentrate AND Neem. I am relatively new to this and I'm not sure what to use and whento use them. I am reading a lot and I think Neem is for bugs and Daconil is for fungus, etc. Is that right? I put my plants in a couple weeks ago and they look great but I wanted to know when I should start "Preventive" measures and with what. Thanks in Advance.

Less that 10mn ago I just answered another person about this on this same page,here's the link

http://www.tomatoville.com/forumdisplay.php?f=61

The Late Blight, P.infestans does surprise me finding it where you are and it speads very easily to other plants,one of the better antifungal sprays is about all you can do ,Daconil is perhaps the best, to help prevent P.infestans, and reapply after any rains have washed off the previous application.

P. infestans is NOT just a foliage disease it's systemic and can put plants down to a stinking black mass only a few days after the first symptoms appear.

Carolyn