How can EM-1® be used to treat blight in tomatoes?Updated 2 months ago
Tomato blight refers to two main diseases caused by different fungi: early blight (caused by Alternaria solani) and late blight (caused by Phytophthora infestans).
While there is no complete "cure" for plants already severely infected by these diseases, there are several management strategies and treatments that can help control and prevent the spread of blight in tomatoes.
For Early Blight
Cultural Controls: Implement crop rotation, avoid overhead watering to keep foliage dry, and maintain good air circulation around plants.
Sanitation: Remove and destroy infected plant parts or entire plants to reduce the spread of the fungus.
Resistant Varieties: Choose tomato varieties that are resistant or less susceptible to early blight.
Fungicides: Apply fungicides as a preventative measure or at the first sign of disease, following label instructions carefully. Both organic options (like copper-based fungicides) and synthetic fungicides can be effective.
For Late Blight
Rapid Response: Late blight spreads quickly and can be more devastating than early blight. Removing affected plants immediately is crucial to prevent widespread infection.
Cultural Practices: Similar to early blight, use crop rotation, improve spacing between plants for better air circulation, and water soil directly to avoid wetting the leaves.
Resistant Varieties: Growing late blight-resistant tomato varieties can significantly reduce disease incidence.
Fungicides: Effective management of late blight often requires the application of fungicides. Organic options are limited in effectiveness; however, copper-based products may offer some protection. Synthetic fungicides tend to be more effective but should be used in a rotation to prevent the development of resistance.
General Prevention Tips
Healthy Practices: Start with disease-free seeds or plants, use well-draining soil, and apply mulch to prevent spores from splashing up from the soil onto leaves.
Monitoring: Regularly inspect plants for signs of blight and take immediate action to control an outbreak.
EM-1 x Tomato Blight
EM-1 helps with blight by helping to improve the soil health.
Dilute 1oz EM-1 per gallon of water when watering the plants. We also suggest 1oz per gallon 1x per week, mixed with nutrients, as a foliar spray.
During high humidity and rainy times, you may want to increase the rate up to 6oz per gallon as a foliar spray and spray at this rate 2 to 3 times per week.
It is fine to mix the EM-1 in with fertilizers at time of application.
A helpful blog is https://www.teraganix.com/blogs/garden-solutions-blog-home-page/dr-higa-s-microbial-soil-classifications. This explains how EM-1 can help disease inducing soil ( blight is a soil borne disease ) and turn the soil into healthy fertile soil.
Here is a link to a blog specifically on using EM with Tomatoes: https://www.teraganix.com/blogs/garden-solutions-blog-home-page/grow-tomatoes
This also explains the benefit of using EM as a foliar spray to prevent fungus: https://www.teraganix.com/blogs/garden-solutions-blog-home-page/use-em-1-as-a-foliar-spray
Below are some links to information about the use of EM1 and tomatoes