Tomato Leaf Harvest!

Healthy, bushy tomato plant that could do with pruning to prevent blight.

For those of you with tomato plants, you may be ready to prune!  If the plants are super bushy, the air might not be circulating well inside the plant.  This could lead to tomato blight. 

Cut off some of the extra branches that don't seem to have fruit starting. 

Nip off any new branches starting between the main stem and an existing branch. 

The healthy leaves can be used as a spray to combat aphids!  If there are no aphids in the garden, keep the leaves so they are on hand if we need them. 

Option A:  Chop them up and freeze them. 

Option B:  Dry them by hanging them upside down. 

Option C:  Contact the rooftop coordinator who has a food dryer and can dry the leaves in a couple of hours. 

Tomato Blight

Early Tomato Blight:  Source Cornell University Website

Tomato blight is a black fungus that grows on the leaves and stems and can destroy your tomato plants.  

Usual Cause  Warm days and cool nights.
                           Too much moisture.

Prevention

Keep the air circulating!  
1. Once the plant is growing, chop off the lower leaves so they don't drag on the ground and 
     begin to rot. 
2. Cut off extra branches, usually the ones popping out between the stem and an existing           branch. 
3. Apply the Tomato Blight Buster every couple of weeks.  See recipe below.

Watering
1.  Don't over water.  If you see yellow leaves, you are overwatering.  
2.  Water from below the leaves.  The rain hits the leaves, but not as hard as watering from 
     hoses and watering cans.  
3.  Water in the morning, if possible or as early in the day as you can.  You want the sun to
     dry the leaves. Don't water at night!

Treatment

1.  Cut off ALL the leaves, stems, and fruit that have black spots and dispose in the garbage, 
     not the compost.  The compost won't get hot enough to kill the blight and you will end up 
     infecting new plants next spring!

2.  Prune so that air is circulating. 

3.  Use an organic recipe to treat the rest of the plant. 

Tomato Blight Buster Powder

Mix together: 
3 cups compost
1 cup non-fat skim milk
1/2 cup epsom salts
1 tbsp baking soda

Sprinkle on the ground around the plants. The original source for this recipe recommends applying the mixture every couple of weeks over the season. 

Blight Spray

1 litre of water
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix in a spray bottle. 
Spray all the leaves, top and bottom.
Spray the stems.
Spray the ground. 

Avoid spraying in the hottest part of the day because that may stress the plants.  Apply in the early morning or evening.