We fight the popular tomato disease with folk methods: how to treat tomatoes with iodine from late blight

It is insulting and unpleasant when plant diseases nullify all the efforts of summer residents. Late blight is one of the most dangerous diseases of garden crops. It seems that nothing will interfere with the harvest, but then there is an attack in the form of the fungus Phytophthora infestans.

Do not expect the plant to heal on its own, start treatment at the first sign. Learn how to treat tomatoes with iodine from phytophthora correctly and how effective this remedy is, from our article.

Briefly about late blight

Late blight - a fungal disease caused by a microorganism called late blight... It manifests itself as red-brown spots that quickly grow over the entire surface of the plant. Then the plantings are covered with a light gray bloom.

Breeders are constantly developing new varieties of tomatoes that are resistant to pathogens, but microorganisms develop along with them. If earlier late blight was found on tomatoes no earlier than August, now some summer residents encounter it already in early June.

Due to the evolution and mutation of phytophthora strains, chemistry is often powerless against new types of spores of this fungus. Then folk remedies come to the rescue. In our case, iodine.

The benefits of iodine

Gardeners have long been using iodine not only as a top dressing, but also for disinfecting soil and seedlings.

Reviews about its use are mostly positive:

1. Increases seed germination.
2. Helps seedlings take root in a new place after transplanting.
3. The formed fruits after feeding acquire a bright red color, becoming more attractive and juicier.
4. Promotes long-term storage of fruits.
5. An excellent antiseptic, relieves fungal diseases such as late blight and powdery mildew.
6. Perfectly replaces nitrogen fertilizers, strengthening plant immunity.

Use of iodine

The greenhouse and late blight are inextricably linked, so it is not enough to process only plants. At the first signs of late blight, it is recommended to spray the greenhouse with iodine solution.

An antiseptic can also be used as a prophylaxis. For this, open vials of iodine are placed in the corners of the greenhouse. The liquid evaporates slowly, it saturates the air in the greenhouse, which contributes to the destruction of microspores. For a greenhouse of 3 × 8 m, five bubbles are enough.

In the fight against the already manifested fungus, spraying of tomatoes is carried out 2-3 times in order to obtain the desired effect. The treatment of the bushes is combined with other methods of eliminating the fungal disease, for example, garlic infusion with potassium permanganate or saline.

Preparation of working solution

If you have harvested fruits when there were no signs of late blight, but after you noticed that the plants are starting to hurt, it is worth protecting the harvested tomatoes. To do this, heat 10 liters of water to a temperature of 50-60 ° C, add 10 drops of iodine tincture there and fill the fruits with this solution for 5 minutes. Then it is dried and left to ripen.

Diseased plants are sprayed with combined mixtures with the addition of an antiseptic. Various additives enhance the effect of iodine tincture, forming a film on the surface of fruits and leaves - additional protection against pests. Also, supplements are rich in their minerals and amino acids and also act as additional feeding.

The most common solutions are:

1. FROM serum... Solution: add 1 tbsp to 10 liters of dairy product. l. tinctures.
2. FROM milk... Mixture: in 10 liters of water add a glass of milk and 1 tsp. iodine.
3. With ash. Composition: for 10 liters of water, take 250 g of wood ash and 10 drops of an antiseptic.
4. With boric acid. Solution: dilute a teaspoon of boric acid in 2 liters of hot water, bring the amount of liquid to 10 liters, add 20 drops of iodine.
5. With potassium chloride. Mixture: 40 drops of iodine tincture and 1 tbsp. l. dilute potassium chloride in a 10 liter bucket of water.

Tomato processing rules

In case of tomato disease, processing is carried out at intervals of two weeks in a greenhouse, in the open field, once every 3-4 weeks. To prevent the occurrence of a fungus, the agent is used every 15 days.

The mixtures are effective at all stages of tomato development and are suitable for open and closed ground.

Basic rules of application:

1. Use the diluted product immediately after preparation by spraying the plants with a fine spray.
2. When spraying, try to get the liquid on the underside of the leaf, where the mixture is better absorbed.
3. Pre-water the soil with plain water.
4. Spray tomatoes in the early morning or evening to avoid direct exposure to sunlight.
5. If the tomatoes are grown outdoors, watch the weather. During and after processing for three days, it is desirable that there was no rain and strong wind. If necessary, repeat the treatment immediately after rain.
6. When spraying in the greenhouse, ventilate thoroughly to avoid condensation.

The composition of the prepared solutions is safe for humans, provided that the minimum protection requirements are met. The drugs are available and inexpensive. But people with hypersensitivity to the components used should use gauze bandages and rubber gloves. Care is required when working with iodine tincture, which, if spilled on the skin, causes a slight burn.

You can eat the fruits immediately after processing.

Prevention and iodine

Most summer residents know about the existence of diseases and take preventive measures in advance.

Greenhouse

In the greenhouse, the walls and soil are treated before planting. To do this, prepare a solution of 20 liters of water and 60 drops of an antiseptic. Walls and rungs are washed and sprayed in hard-to-reach places. Some add a couple of potassium permanganate crystals to the mixture for treating walls.

If the greenhouse was susceptible to phytophthora a year earlier, then the processing is carried out twice with a difference of two weeks.

Priming

It is also recommended to disinfect the soil in the greenhouse and on open beds. Dilute 10 drops of iodine in 10 liters of water, spill and dig up the earth abundantly.

Advice from summer residents and gardeners

In order not to harm iodine treatment, observe the following rules:

1. When transplanting seedlings, carry out processing no earlier than 10 days. During this time, the tomatoes adapt to the new habitat, straighten the root system.
2. In the presence of a disease, prepare formulations based on the recipes given without increasing the iodine concentration. An antiseptic can burn out the root system and burn the leaves.
3. Alternate additives in solutions. The fungus strains quickly adapt to drugs. And the frequent use of boric acid leads to leaf necrosis and fruit curvature.
4. Measure iodine with a medical pipette.
5. Use chlorine-free water. To do this, leave tap water for 12-24 hours.
6. Treat in dry and calm weather in the morning or evening.
7. Pluck and burn affected leaves and fruits. Do not store infected plants in compost pits.

Conclusion

Remember, prevention is the best treatment. Closely monitor the condition of your pets in the greenhouse or soil, and if you suspect, start treatment or prevention. Then the question of how to deal with the disease will not be. But don't overdo it.

Iodine will eliminate infection, increase plant immunity, help bright and juicy fruits acquire a healthy color. But this does not mean at all that the more iodine in the solution, the better.Strictly follow the recipe, and then your harvest will be strong and healthy to the envy of your neighbors.