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URGENT advice needed - early blight, Daconil
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Posted by eric02138 Massachusetts (My Page) on Mon, Jul 17, 06 at 16:57
| I just found some leaves on a couple of plants with classic early blight -- I am certain of the ID. Yesterday I sprayed copper and there is still powdery copper residue on the leaves. I need to know ASAP if applying Daconil NOW will be OK for the plants, i.e., will it stress them too much since the copper is so freshly applied?
I have decided to use Daconil now - I wish I had earlier, of course. I am aware (thanks to the wonderful Carolyn and other good folks here) that Daconil isn't going to cure the blight, but I am hopeful that it will slow it down and protect plants not yet infected. Fortunately, I have spaced them 3' x 3' and kept the vines trained high.
So in short, should I proceed today with Daconil post-haste? Do I need to wait? Should I first wash off the copper with a gentle water spray?
If it help, the copper was a Bonide dust mixed with water per the label instructions and applied with a pressurized hand sprayer; I used the low end of the concentration range on the label. The leaves are just fine, no burn from the copper. They just have some blotches from the copper as it was hard to apply evenly.
Finally, if anyone jumps in the thread and, instead of answering my question, advises me not to use "poisons" such as Daconil, it's perfectly fine with me if such posts are just ignored by others.
Thanks all, you are just a wonderful bunch.
Eric
Massachusetts |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: URGENT advice needed - early blight, Daconil
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| Eric, Daconil works by covering the specific attachment sites for the EB spores on the leaf surface and I don't think the Cu stuff does. So I'd go ahead and use the Daconil. Carolyn |
RE: URGENT advice needed - early blight, Daconil
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| Carolyn, Thanks so very much -- I will do that. Couple of follow-up questions: -- When I sprayed the Daconil this morning I took great pains to make sure I also sprayed upside down with my pump-pressure hand sprayer in order to get the undersides of the leaves -- is this indeed necessary? It is surely not easy. -- Any idea what prospects I have for reasonable control at this point? I think I've caught the EB relatively early -- it was on about half of my 9 plants (spaced 3' by 3) but only about 3 or 4 leaves on each plant at most, and none of the leaves had extensive damage yet. I picked off all the infected leaves. The Massachusetts weather this year has been awful, of course, with all the wet and now the heat wave. BTW, it was thanks to the links in this forum's tomato problem solver 2 thread that I was able to make a positive ID of the Early Blight. Highly recommend them for anyone not sure which problem they have. You have to do some work but the info is there. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Problem Solver 2
p.s. shout-out to Carolyn...
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| Carolyn, I've learned so much from your posts on this forum. I just wanted to thank you publicly for so generously sharing your expertise and passion. |
RE: URGENT advice needed - early blight, Daconil
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| I can't find anything that mentions whether it can infect the lower surface of the leaf, so I can't answer your first question. I have to spray the undersides for mites, though, and I have to say that the long, slightly angled wand on my pump sprayer makes it so much easier than any other method; I come in from either side of the plant and focus on spraying the leaves on the opposite side, as the angle seems better. It is a little awkward, but the angle and the fine mist are worth it. Your prospects for control are excellent, however, so long as you spray Daconil regularly, particularly after heavy rain. --Alison |
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