interplanting my tomatoes for disease control

12 years ago

I seem to have accumulated a significant fungal/foliage disease pressure affecting tomatoes grown in my garden.

My garden is fairly wet, my area is humid and I get rain frequently. I do mulch (with paper, because I don't require moisture retention) to prevent splashback infection, and to the best of my ability I try to prune diseased leaves frequently.

One additional strategy that I am considering for this coming year is interplanting. I have 24 Texas tomato cages (and have solemnly sworn to stop there) and have been planting them in one 3' x 44' row (of which my garden has 7).

I can't in good conscience dedicate any more net space to my tomatoes; neither am I really willing to plant fewer of them.

So I was thinking to spread them out across three beds, 8 per, and use the space in between (5' sections or so) to plant the crops that would usually occupy those beds. Corn, brassicas, peppers, edamame, etc.

Do you think this strategy might have a chance of helping my situation?

What would you expect to do well in small block plantings between tomato plants?

Do you think a tall interplant like corn would be more helpful (block the airborne spores between tomatoes) or harmful (reduce overall air circulation)?

Now that I will have 3 groups I am also fomenting plans for a controlled trial of organic anti-fungal agents, but that's another post.

Thanks for your input!

~emmers

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Comments (6)

User
12 years ago
Air movement around plants, watering the soil rather than overhead/spray irrigation, and preventing soil splash is important in problem areas.

Keeping the leaves dry by watering closer to the soil and having enough air movement in/around plants to get them dry after a moisture event helps a lot.

In some climates you can't pack toms in because the lack of air movement along with the plant's transpiration keeping it humid around the plants creates an non-ideal climate for keeping disease from setting up shop (especially molds/fungi).

Intercropping different kinds of crops can help, but I'd make sure spacing, air movement, and watering issues are taken care of first...if it's even a problem.
little_minnie
12 years ago
Sorry but interplanting will only make it worse.
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emmers_m
Original Author
12 years ago
Ok, I rarely need to water (garden is wet) and when I do I water the soil, I mulch to prevent splashback infection, and this plan IS my thinking to increase air circulation.

I don't have the room to put 5 feet in between my tomato plants without planting something else in that space.
Kimmsr
12 years ago
Which diseases do your tomatoes get?
Do you grow them in raised beds?
Keep in mind that the only really good way to eliminate disease pathogens in garden soils is top not grow host plants in that soil for several years.
Perhaps the link below might be of some help.

Here is a link that might be useful: companion planting
MrClint
12 years ago
Any advice that would be truly helpful would be local to your area. I overhead water many of my crops to control spider mites. Check with folks in your area for best practices. I interplant aromatic herbs such as arugula, cilantro, basil and such. Likewise for onions and garlic. These plants seem to confuse or repel many pests. Disease is another matter that might require different controls.
User
12 years ago
Local area concerns do matter a lot. What someone can do safely or effectively in one area can be an invitation to disaster in other areas.

Spider mites in field plantings are generally more of an arid/dry area problem (including indoors) compared to humid/wet areas. Some areas are so arid/dry that water misters can run on crops all day to keep crops cool without a worry of disease issues (unfortunately common in places like Yuma, AZ).