Late blight weather predicted for August in midwest, NE

gorbelly · August 3, 2017

Cool and rainy weather incoming. There's report of late blight in tomatoes in the next county over.

Wondering whether I should break down and get some Daconil.

Organic options don't do much to prevent LB, and chlorathonil won't work well unless applied before infection.

zeroma · August 3, 2017

I'd be on my way to the store for some Daconil. And I don't like using chemicals in my garden. To wait this long for tomatoes and not protect them at this point would be sad. Read and follow the label directions!

Good luck!

Wish I knew if our area had an app or webpage I could use for advanced notification. A few years ago I know there was a national kind of page. But I don't think the two counties where I live and garden participates in it.

Z

Ricky Shaw · August 3, 2017

Cold and rainy here today, high was 65 and low's in the 50's for the next ten days. Everything about temperatures seems magnified in containers, and while late blight is not a particular problem here, I'm not happy with the August forecast. I'm afraid it will change the taste and texture of the toms, and not for the better.

gorbelly · August 3, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeroma

Wish I knew if our area had an app or webpage I could use for advanced notification. A few years ago I know there was a national kind of page. But I don't think the two counties where I live and garden participates in it.

There's the Late Blight Map, although not all states/counties report to it. https://usablight.org/map

The Penn State Extension has a vegetable diseases newsletter they send out by e-mail. Maybe your extension has something similar? I would take a look around on their website to see or call the local office to find out.

Gardeneer · August 4, 2017

I look at the map. Luckily nothing down here where I am.

I use Daconil and Neem Oil (organic )regularly, as preventive measure. From what I understand, once you get any foliage disease, it is often probably too late to get rid of it.
There is also an organic copper based spray. (Bonide ? brand ?).

PaulF · August 4, 2017

99% of the mid-west looks to be OK or does not report to this service. Most of us are more concerned with draught than blight.

b54red · August 4, 2017

If you are in an area or near an area that has reported Late Blight you really should use whatever fungicide works the best. Once you get it, treating it and stopping it are very difficult and sometimes impossible. I have beat it back a couple of times with the diluted bleach spray but only when I recognized it immediately and treated aggressively. Even doing that you will likely lose some plants and have many messed up ones. The stuff just acts so fast and every minute counts in treating it. Why not do the much easier thing and try using a preventive fungicide like Daconil. I check my plants the next day after every rain to see if I see any signs of Late Blight from June through November. The reason for that is I have had it as early as June and as late as October but luckily I have only had it bad three times in 40 years of gardening.

Bill

gorbelly · August 4, 2017

Daconil has a very good safety record, so if I really have to use it, I will. The issue is judging when I really need it, but with a forecast of a week straight of intermittent rain and temps not quite reaching 80 and LB confirmed in the neighboring county, this seems appropriate.

I've been using B. amyloliquifaciens exclusively so far with great results for my tomatoes and good PM control on my cucurbits, but the cucurbits are now getting hit hard with downy mildew. I think I'll have to switch to copper for my cucurbits and Daconil for my tomatoes.

gorbelly · August 4, 2017

Question: do you guys spray your peppers and eggplants with fungicide? I generally don't need to intervene at all with my peppers and eggplants unless the eggplants get mites. No fungicide. Just water and fertilizer if necessary, and they thrive. The worst that happens is that the occasional pepper plant goes down with bacterial wilt. I know they're not a preferred host of LB like potatoes and tomatoes are, but it looks like they're technically susceptible.

**carolyn137** · August 4, 2017

Are all of you referring to P.infestans, Late Blight ,which is almost always fatal unless you see the foliage symptoms early,or are you referring to the late expression of Early Blight, Alternaria solani, where yes, Daconil prevention might well help.

I do have a problem on predictions for either disease that are made so far head since most of the time it's local conditions as to transmission,etc.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Corn...&bih=788&dpr=1

Carolyn

Gardeneer · August 4, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorbelly

Question: do you guys spray your peppers and eggplants with fungicide? I generally don't need to intervene at all with my peppers and eggplants unless the eggplants get mites. No fungicide. Just water and fertilizer if necessary, and they thrive. The worst that happens is that the occasional pepper plant goes down with bacterial wilt. I know they're not a preferred host of LB like potatoes and tomatoes are, but it looks like they're technically susceptible.

I do not spray my peppers and eggplants with fungicide. But I do spray them , sometimes, with Neem , to combat pests. Neem is claimed to be 3 in one ; fungicide, pesticide and miticide.
The major problem that I have had with eggplants, was flea beetles. Covering the plants with fine mesh nylon tulle works best. This is only needed when the plants are in seedling stage.

gorbelly · August 4, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Are all of you referring to P.infestans, Late Blight ,which is almost always fatal unless you see the foliage symptoms early,or are you referring to the late expression of Early Blight, Alternaria solani, where yes, Daconil prevention might well help.

I do have a problem on predictions for either disease that are made so far head since most of the time it's local conditions as to transmission,etc.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Corn...&bih=788&dpr=1

Carolyn

As stated in the subject line, I mean late blight, P. infestans. Early blight is common and manageable and not something that is generally reportable or something for which my extensions sends out alerts.

P. infestans, once conditions get conducive for its progress, is basically a rapid death sentence for tomatoes and/or potatoes (depending on strain). Not so A. solani.

gorbelly · August 4, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeroma

I'd be on my way to the store for some Daconil. And I don't like using chemicals in my garden.

I don't like using chemicals, either. I usually stick to biologicals. The most extreme I get is organic copper, normally, but it's not nearly as effective at warding off LB as chlorathonil.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeroma

To wait this long for tomatoes and not protect them at this point would be sad. Read and follow the label directions!

Agreed.

Found a local hardware store that sells Daconil concentrate.

I decided the perfect storm of nearby confirmed infection of tomatoes + the extended forecast for cool, wet weather over the next week and a half calls for going above and beyond.

KarenO · August 4, 2017

I think trying to prevent fungal infection is certainly worthwhile but once late blight is actually in a garden, I think home gardeners spraying this and that ineffective treatment and trying to salvage doomed and dying plants contributes to spread most certainly. If everyone pulled and properly disposed of late blight infected plants at first sight the disease would not be as rampant and fast spreading. It will likely never happen but if it did, the problem would diminish significantly.
I think home gardeners like my self should try to help by being vigilant and learning what it looks like from first signs of infection. My livelihood does not depend on my garden but ommercial producers' do.
Surprises me how many serious gardeners don't have the ability to diagnose and differentiate between really obvious diseases such as Early and late blight in the garden. Education is key and the information is out there. Bottom line: nothing kills late blight once the infection is present. Pulling and bagging and disposing of infected plants is the best course of action to reduce spread not only in our own gardens but every farm and garden within a ten mile radius.

KarenO

FredB · August 5, 2017

I've read that late blight doesn't overwinter as far north as where I live (central Indiana). In over 20 years of growing tomatoes I've only had late blight once. That year I bought a plant from one of the big box hardware chains. The purchased plant turned black followed by a wave of death-to-tomatoes expanding in a circle around the infected plant. Since then, I've never purchased plants from a big-box store and never had late blight.

August 3, 2017	#1
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	Late blight weather predicted for August in midwest, NE Cool and rainy weather incoming. There's report of late blight in tomatoes in the next county over. Wondering whether I should break down and get some Daconil. Organic options don't do much to prevent LB, and chlorathonil won't work well unless applied before infection.

August 4, 2017	#5
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	I look at the map. Luckily nothing down here where I am. I use Daconil and Neem Oil (organic )regularly, as preventive measure. From what I understand, once you get any foliage disease, it is often probably too late to get rid of it. There is also an organic copper based spray. (Bonide ? brand ?). __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

August 4, 2017	#6
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	99% of the mid-west looks to be OK or does not report to this service. Most of us are more concerned with draught than blight. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

August 4, 2017	#10
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Are all of you referring to P.infestans, Late Blight ,which is almost always fatal unless you see the foliage symptoms early,or are you referring to the late expression of Early Blight, Alternaria solani, where yes, Daconil prevention might well help. I do have a problem on predictions for either disease that are made so far head since most of the time it's local conditions as to transmission,etc. https://www.google.com/search?q=Corn...&bih=788&dpr=1 Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

August 3, 2017	#2
zeroma Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 637	I'd be on my way to the store for some Daconil. And I don't like using chemicals in my garden. To wait this long for tomatoes and not protect them at this point would be sad. Read and follow the label directions! Good luck! Wish I knew if our area had an app or webpage I could use for advanced notification. A few years ago I know there was a national kind of page. But I don't think the two counties where I live and garden participates in it. Z

August 3, 2017	#3
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	Cold and rainy here today, high was 65 and low's in the 50's for the next ten days. Everything about temperatures seems magnified in containers, and while late blight is not a particular problem here, I'm not happy with the August forecast. I'm afraid it will change the taste and texture of the toms, and not for the better.

August 4, 2017	#7
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	If you are in an area or near an area that has reported Late Blight you really should use whatever fungicide works the best. Once you get it, treating it and stopping it are very difficult and sometimes impossible. I have beat it back a couple of times with the diluted bleach spray but only when I recognized it immediately and treated aggressively. Even doing that you will likely lose some plants and have many messed up ones. The stuff just acts so fast and every minute counts in treating it. Why not do the much easier thing and try using a preventive fungicide like Daconil. I check my plants the next day after every rain to see if I see any signs of Late Blight from June through November. The reason for that is I have had it as early as June and as late as October but luckily I have only had it bad three times in 40 years of gardening. Bill

August 4, 2017	#14
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	I think trying to prevent fungal infection is certainly worthwhile but once late blight is actually in a garden, I think home gardeners spraying this and that ineffective treatment and trying to salvage doomed and dying plants contributes to spread most certainly. If everyone pulled and properly disposed of late blight infected plants at first sight the disease would not be as rampant and fast spreading. It will likely never happen but if it did, the problem would diminish significantly. I think home gardeners like my self should try to help by being vigilant and learning what it looks like from first signs of infection. My livelihood does not depend on my garden but ommercial producers' do. Surprises me how many serious gardeners don't have the ability to diagnose and differentiate between really obvious diseases such as Early and late blight in the garden. Education is key and the information is out there. Bottom line: nothing kills late blight once the infection is present. Pulling and bagging and disposing of infected plants is the best course of action to reduce spread not only in our own gardens but every farm and garden within a ten mile radius. KarenO

August 5, 2017	#15
FredB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 76	I've read that late blight doesn't overwinter as far north as where I live (central Indiana). In over 20 years of growing tomatoes I've only had late blight once. That year I bought a plant from one of the big box hardware chains. The purchased plant turned black followed by a wave of death-to-tomatoes expanding in a circle around the infected plant. Since then, I've never purchased plants from a big-box store and never had late blight.