Better Foliage Fungal Preventative
 

Which do you find works better as a foliage fungal preventative.

Dilute bleach spray.

or

Chlorothalonil.

I battle septoria leaf spot every year so I know spores are coming/present. I usually keep a close eye, once I see spots, I trim the affected leaf and then treat all tomatoes with chlorothalonil.

I'm wondering if dilute bleach spray might kill spores before symptoms appear and reduce or at least delay the need for chlorothalonil. The tomatoes are planted out so I'm think sometime in the next week is the time to start spraying.

I have never tried the bleach... But I can tell you the daconil around here needs to be mixed with fontelis to control the fungal diseases we have. Fontelis might be restricted but I can't remember for certain. My husband usually does the tomato "watch" and sprays.
I have been playing with the experiment idea of spraying a antitranspirant on the plants before the fungus shows up to see if it keeps the blight at bay without spraying a fungicide.

I'm alternating copper with my Daconil. I will probably play around with the bleach as well. For any sort of mold or mildew problem that has already begun, hydrogen peroxide is the most effective remedy that I have tried. Bleach is much less costly on a larger scale, though.

I grow my tomatoes main tomatoes in 2 raised beds. I also grow other tomatoes in buckets on the deck (dwarf) and my son has a couple in his garden bed.

I'm thinking maybe I should split my main beds, try one with daconil and one with bleach spray (as it will kill any incoming spores). And see which works better this season.

Also IIRC, I think I've seen Carolyn post this, for Septoria, the spores can only attach on the tops of the leaf? True or false? If true, then I don't have to worry about hitting the undersides of leaves, which early in the year isn't a big deal, but as the season goes on can be a big task, even with my limited number (~25) plants.

As probably the biggest proponent of using the diluted bleach spray and someone who uses it regularly each tomato season I still use Daconil and alternate with a copper fungicide as preventives. No matter how well I keep up my fungicide spraying I still always have to resort to the bleach spray when something gets through. I have only rarely had to deal with a bad Septoria out break and it may be due to the alternating fungicides along with the bleach spray when needed.

Down here on the Gulf Coast where the humidity and heat are stifling the disease pressure is very intense and unrelenting once the season gets going. My best gardening buddy uses the bleach spray exclusively to keep the diseases away and is pretty successful with it. Even though it took me two years to convince him to try it, once he did he really liked the simplicity of using it and its effectiveness. I use a slightly milder version of the diluted bleach spray as a preventive on squash plants because using it regularly on them seems to keep those pesky mildew problems from cropping up.

Bill

Have not had serious foliage problems in the northeast since adopting this:

chlorothalonil + phosphorous acid (catamaran-esque tank mix) (daconil + exel lg)
Alternated with
Actinovate + copper octanoate (copper soap)
Spray one combo at 7 day intervals.


Only 2 growing seasons with it but so far so good.

[QUOTE=jmsieglaff;641390]I grow my tomatoes main tomatoes in 2 raised beds. I also grow other tomatoes in buckets on the deck (dwarf) and my son has a couple in his garden bed.

I'm thinking maybe I should split my main beds, try one with daconil and one with bleach spray (as it will kill any incoming spores). And see which works better this season.

Also IIRC, I think I've seen Carolyn post this, for Septoria, the spores can only attach on the tops of the leaf? True or false? If true, then I don't have to worry about hitting the undersides of leaves, which early in the year isn't a big deal, but as the season goes on can be a big task, even with my limited number (~25) plants.[/QUOTE]

Yes, the two major fungal foliage pathogens of Early Blight, Alternaria solani and Septoria Leaf Spot have attachment sites on the upper leaf surface,which can be blocked by Daconil, aka chlorothalonil if used at the right concentration and not mixed with anything else.

But with heavy rain the Daconil can wash off and then needs to be reapplied. And best to make it up fresh, use the dilution specs on the bottle to do that.

Some Daconil is sold already diluted and in my opinion, not good to buy the premixed stuff.

Carolyn

Your sprays would also work better if you used nu film 17 or nu film P if you are close to harvest.

[QUOTE=clkeiper;641530]Your sprays would also work better if you used nu film 17 or nu film P if you are close to harvest.[/QUOTE]

Never heard of these. Do they leave a film you can see? Why do you say it would work better if I'm close to harvest opposed to newly planted plants?

nufilm is a spreader sticker. We use just a couple drops per gallon... maybe 1/4 t of t per gallon of spray.
[url]http://www.rrsi.com/product/nu-film-17/[/url]

these are two different products. whether you are close to harvest or a newly planted crop determines on which one you would use.
you cant see this when it is on the plant. we use it on practically all sprays and on all crops. nu film 17 is a longer days to harvest than nufilmP. Nufilm P you would use if you are harvesting within 30 days and it is also organic compatible.

Thanks for the info. Seems like some good stuff. Is it available to anyone? An online only type thing?

I don't think it is a restricted spray... nothing toxic about it that I know of. I buy it at a greenhouse supply place not online.. We also have a feed and seed place that sells sprays... restricted and non restricted. try grain elevators, maybe if there is a hydroponics place near you a garden/nursery supply place. I don't know where all it would be available. I know it is really cheap but for most of you it would last for years since I have only seen it in 1/2 gal and gallon size. we buy both kinds in gallon size. if not nu film at least look for a spreader sticker of some kind. it makes your sprays last longer and be more effective on the plant. Hi-Yield makes one just labeled as "spreader sticker" I don't know if it is the same, similar or totally different but the use is the same. it also comes in a much more manageable size for most of you. where are you located? do you have any Amish greenhouse supply places? produce auction places? orchard/nursery... etc. agricultural companies that sell sprays?

I see Nu-Film-17 is based on Polyterpene Polymers which are from plant based sources, petroleum hydrocarbons (Petroletum as in Petroleum jelly) and oxyethylene which I think is an organic surfactant.

Nu-Film P contains Polyterpene Polymers and oxyethylene only. It's OMRI certified

I just add a few drops of dish washing liquid and it makes the Daconil work better because of better coverage. I have only seen improvement in its effectiveness when I add a bit of soap as a spreader sticker. As a matter of fact I add a bit of soap to every thing I spray including BT. I don't think most of the products made for spraying use quite enough spreader in their formulations and to get good coverage you have to spray far more than necessary. When a bit of soap is added I have found that I need less spray mix to get good coverage. I have used spreader stickers in the past and can't see a lot of difference in them and just a bit of soap but maybe there is some.

Bill

Dang, I thought my SM-90 was expensive as a spreader agent, but it is about the same price as the Nu-Film.