Blight is a fungal infection that is highly likely to infect garden tomato plants between June to August. Signs of blight include brown, sunken spots on the tomato fruit, brown leaves and stem, and general wilting.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) certified that the fungal disease is “common in warm, wet weather”. And its presence could quickly lead to the collapse and decay of any tomato-bearing plant. Yet there is a simple preventative measure you can do to protect the plant against blight.
According to gardening experts at House Digest, the best thing you can do is apply around three inches of mulch around the tomato plants in your garden or allotment.
In agreement, gardening gurus at Garden Tech also recommended mulching well around plants.
There are other considerations to be had too, such as choosing tomato plant varieties that are “resistant to blight”.
While no tomato is 100% resistant to blight, some are more resilient against the fungal disease — just be sure to ask at your local garden centre.
Growing tomatoes
The RHS advised, if possible, to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse as they will “rarely” be affected by blight if grown in that way.
Best sown from February to April, they can be planted in May and June, then harvested from July to October.
“Check seed packets or plant labels before buying, to ensure you get the type to suit your growing space,” the RHS added.
There are also an array of tomato varieties to choose from, offering different sizes, shapes, and flavour.
