Clean up and dispose of as much tomato plant debris as possible. At the end of the gardening season, remove and destroy all infected tomato plants. Prompt removal of infected leaves may slow the progress of the, blights. If blight occurs, remove and destroy infected leaves as they appear.Be sure to spray both the upper and lower leaf surfaces as well as the centers of the plants. Apply fungicides (chlorothalonil, maneb, or copper-based fungicides) at 7 to 14 day intervals beginning 2 to 4 weeks after transplanting. While cultural practices may help control tomato blights, fungicides are often needed. If a sprinkler must be used, water in the, morning so the foliage dries quickly. Apply water directly to the ground around plants with a soaker hose or slow running hose. Avoid wetting tomato foliage when watering.Placing the mulch around plants in early June allows the soil to warm up in the spring. The mulch reduces the splashing of fungal spores onto plant foliage. Shredded leaves, dry grass clippings, and straw are excellent mulches. In early June, apply a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch around each tomato plant.A wire cage 2 feet in diameter and 4 to 5 feet tall should be adequate for most tomato varieties. Gardeners can buy wire tomato cages at garden centers or make their own using concrete reinforcing wire or hog wire. The foliage of tomatoes growing in a cage will dry more rapidly than those sprawling on the ground. Adequate spacing allows good air movement and promotes rapid drying of plant foliage.
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