Many gardeners are faced with the problem of black stem on tomatoes. The fact is that when growing such a crop, many diseases arise. The appearance of a black leg is one of the unpleasant surprises. The disease occurs suddenly and is accompanied by the stem falling and dying. This often occurs after picking the plant. But, with certain actions, you can get rid of this disease and, as a result, grow a healthy plant that will give a normal harvest. So, what control measures to use against blackleg in tomato seedlings?
Causes of blackleg
If the stem falls, then you need to carefully inspect the plant. If darkening is visible above the soil surface, this indicates the presence of this disease. It is called black leg or, popularly, blackleg. It often affects crops grown in greenhouses and other film coverings.
Black leg in tomato seedlings occurs as a result of the plant being damaged by a fungal infection. It attacks the roots through which neighboring bushes become infected. In addition to tomatoes, cabbage and radishes often suffer from this disease.
Important: Provoke disease in tomatoes High humidity, insufficient lighting, low temperature and dense planting of crops can cause problems. Therefore, you need to be very careful when growing tomatoes.
The main task in the process of growing this crop is to ensure normal lighting. To do this, it is recommended to make a shield out of foil, which is placed behind boxes or pots. Light rays will bounce off it and scatter. As a result, this will significantly increase the amount of light, without installing additional lighting fixtures.
What is the best thing to do if there is a black leg in tomato seedlings?
Before you begin treatment, you need to know that fungal infection most often occurs on tomatoes that grow in soil with a high level of acidity. Therefore, first of all, this problem needs to be solved. Acidity can be neutralized by treating with limestone or wood ash. Also, chalk and dolomite flour are highly effective.
Important: If, as a result of the inspection, there was a definite presence of a disease on the seedlings, then it is necessary to immediately begin its treatment.This will prevent the spread of infection to other plants.
Many gardeners believe that treating blacklegs is a thankless task, since after this the fruitfulness decreases. Therefore, it is easier to eliminate a diseased seedling and the plants that are adjacent to it.
But, nevertheless, if you decide to fight the black leg, then you should follow this sequence:
- First of all, you need to disinfect the soil. To do this, water the area with a solution of potassium permanganate.
- You also need to limit watering the bushes. This will reduce the risk of such a disease. It is worth noting here that fungal infections do not develop in dry soil. Therefore, you need to water in moderation.
- Falling plants are covered with woody vines. Also for this purpose they use coal, which is previously ground into powder.
- Disinfect the soil. Formalin solution is often used for this. In this case, it is worth thoroughly loosening the soil.
The best option in the fight and prevention of the disease is the complete or partial replacement of contaminated soil. This will prevent further spread of the infection to other plants.
Disease prevention
It is best to prevent the occurrence of a disease than to treat it later. Preventive measures should begin with preparing the seeds. It is better to give preference to varieties that are resistant to blackleg.
The best option here is tomato seedlings "Lena". The plants are unpretentious in care, produce a good harvest and are resistant to this disease.
Before sowing the seeds, they are treated with potassium permanganate. To do this, the bag with them is placed in the solution for half an hour. After this, they are thoroughly washed and dried.It is also necessary to disinfect the container in which the tomato seedlings will be planted. This is done using the same potassium permanganate.
If soil from a garden bed is used for planting seed material, it must first be heated. To do this, it is placed in an old vessel and placed in the oven for a short time. The procedure is carried out outside the living space, since when pierced the soil emits an unpleasant odor. After this, it is spilled with potassium permanganate. The prepared soil can be used for planting after several days.
Proper watering will help prevent the occurrence of blackleg. Do not overwater the bushes, as this will lead to the development of a fungal infection. It is also recommended to use warm water for irrigation.
Periodic loosening of the soil will also help in solving this issue, which will ensure normal air access to the root system. To prevent the top layer from drying out, it is covered with a small amount of sand, which holds moisture well. All affected plants must be removed and disposed of immediately. Before planting, a “Barrier” is added to the hole.
Fighting blacklegs with folk methods
To protect a plant from blackleg, you need to follow some rules and use certain folk remedies:
- When irrigating, it is better to use a spray bottle and a watering can. This will prevent waterlogging of the soil, which is a common cause of the disease.
- Periodically, tomato seedlings can be pricked, which will ensure normal development of the root system.
- It is also worth considering that excess nitrogen fertilizers cause significant harm to the plant and can cause it to fall.
- It is not recommended to use humus for fertilizer, as it contains fungus. As a result, a black leg on seedlings is only a matter of time.
- If you water the seedlings with a solution of onion peels, this will prevent the occurrence of disease.
If you follow these simple rules, you can protect your plants from disease and ensure a high tomato yield.
What drugs should be used
If a black leg does appear on tomato seedlings, then drugs that are highly effective are used to combat it:
- Fundazol. An effective drug in the fight against the disease. The only drawback is the toxicity of the drug. Therefore, it is not recommended for use on plants that are grown at home, especially if there are children or animals in the room.
- Previkur. Less toxic. Therefore, it is used to process tomatoes, both in the garden and at home.
Important: If the seeds are treated with Fitosporin or Fitolavin before planting, this will reduce the risk of disease.
Now you know how to save tomato seedlings and how to prevent the occurrence of disease. By following simple rules and recommendations, you can ensure high yields of tomatoes, despite all the risks.
