Updates on Other Vegetables and Such: Don't Forget Tomato Disease

I just found my Marshmallow plant has spots. I have to research to see what it is. Different plants can harbor the diseases that get our tomatoes. I bring it up regularly that we have 2 diseases in Maryland. They are leaf spot (Septoria) and early blight. I have yet to find a garden that doesn't have it. You  might notice the humidity in our area. That is the life blood of these fungi (I believe). If you have solutions to battling them, I would love to post them.  I use 5 main methods from the get go. These year, I increased my spraying. IT WORKS!

• Mulch to cover your soil and create a disease barrier
• Prune the bottom leaves off your tomatoes (12-24 inches) to create a disease gap
• Maintain air circulation by pruning the center of the tomatoes
• Spray with a preventative solution you feel fit. I use sulfur spray
• Remove suspected leaves that show disease signs ASAP
• I also am using aspirin but that is an experiment as my 6th method

If you were lucky enough to prevail over diseases so far, it is Early Blight time. You might want to consider a plan.

Wettable Sulfur, Aspirin, and Tomato Disease Prevention: Pilarchik

Some other pictures from the garden:

Green Beans are Ready: Pilarchik

Flowering Cilantro to Attract Hover Flies/Bees: Pilarchik

Prune out Your Tomatoes: Pilarchik

This pruning is from 4 plants. I did this a few days ago. It looks like an entire plant! I am still going to have 100's of tomatoes. If you click to enlarge the above picture you cans see the gap I create beneath the tomato. These tomatoes are pruned and staked with what I call the artistic method. 

Below is a close-up of the tomato in the above picture. It is winning the prize for most productive. I will be a keeper for my garden.

'Homestead Variety' a Productive Tomato: Pilarchik