Growing tomatoes at home without using industrial fungicides is possible and, as well as being more environmentally friendly and possibly healthier, it is also cheaper. In most kitchens, we find ingredients with antifungal properties, which we can mix to make homemade fungicides to use in our organic tomato crops. For example, we can use baking soda and vinegar, among others.
In EcologíaVerde we will see how you can prepare homemade fungicides for tomatoes that are really effective. Take note!
The main tomato fungi
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a solanaceous plant from America. It is one of the horticultural fruits (fruit in botany, vegetable in food) most appreciated by farmers and consumers, due to its flavor and nutritional qualities. It is very rare to see a garden that does not have at least one variety of tomato grown. In addition, tomato plants are voracious plants that adapt very well to all types of soil, although their cultivation is recommended in land rich in nutrients and well fertilized.
Most of the varieties are climbers, so they tend to be encañadas and very few grow at ground level. They are plants that should be pruned as they grow, removing the oldest leaves from the bottom of the tomato. This will facilitate aeration and access to sunlight, preventing it from some fungal problems, since plant care is the first antifungal method.
The two main diseases that affect the tomato plant are the mildew Y powdery mildew. Depending on the humidity, the temperature, the sensitivity of the variety or the initial inoculum, the tomato will be affected by one or another disease. Fighting these diseases is possible in organic farming using fungicides with copper or sulfur, but we will see below how to make homemade fungicides for tomatoes.
Homemade Baking Soda Fungicide for Tomatoes
Sodium bicarbonate or sodium It is a white, soluble compound that is frequently used to combat fungal pests on many plants, one of which is the tomato plant.
Can make homemade fungicide with baking soda for tomatoes easily by mixing 4 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 of horticultural oil and citrus oil or molasses in approximately 4 L of water. This should be mixed well until the baking soda dissolves. Finally, this mixture will be placed in a spray bottle and the part of the plant with symptoms of fungal disease will be sprayed. If bicarbonate is not available, potassium carbonate can be used.
Learn more about How to make a homemade fungicide with baking soda here.
Homemade tomato fungicide made with cornstarch
corn flour or cornstarch It is another very common ingredient in the kitchen and has antifungal properties.
For make this homemade fungicide for tomatoes You should mix 1 cup of corn flour with 5 cups of water and let it rest for an hour or until it takes on an opaque and milky appearance. Subsequently, the solid flour must be removed and the resulting milky liquid sprayed on the tomato plants.
Homemade fungicide for tomatoes made with vinegar
The vinegar It is also a common element in kitchens with antifungal properties. To make vinegar-based fungicide for tomatoes, we must dilute approximately 3 or 4 tablespoons of vinegar in 4 L of water and spray this mixture on the tomato plants. Do it daily, when the plant is not in full sun, until you see that the fungi disappear.
The most natural is usually apple cider vinegar, although white vinegar is the most effective when treating plant fungi, you can use either.
Essential oils, excellent fungicides for tomatoes
There are several types of essential oils with antifungal properties that are effective when applied to plants such as tomatoes, both to prevent and treat fungal problems. Among these oils are:
- Citrus oil.
- Oregano oil.
- grape root oil
- Orange oil.
- Garlic oil.
- Peppermint oil.
- Tea tree oil.
To make fungicides based on these oils, they can be mixed with other homemade fungicides, or diluted in water. Apply them once a day until you notice that there are no more fungi, but remember not to do it in the hours of strong sun.
Compost tea as a fungicide for tomatoes
Compost tea is called the preparation made from compost diluted in water and is named for its resemblance to the color of liquid iced tea.
For make compost tea, a bucket should be filled in equal parts with compost and water. This mixture should be allowed to stand between 10 and 14 days, then remove the solid elements and dilute it again in water until the mixture has the right consistency to be sprayed. Finally, we will apply the mixture to the leaves of the tomato plant, especially those that we see that show symptoms of fungal infection. Again, it can be applied daily, outside of sunlight hours, as many days in a row as necessary until the fungi have completely disappeared from the tomato plant.
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