If you smoke, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and disinfect pruning equipment before handling tomato plants to avoid transmitting viruses.
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Steps
1
Select disease-resistant tomato varieties, looking for labels with letters like 'V' (verticillium wilt resistance) or other disease-resistant markers.
2
Space plants at least 3 feet apart within rows and rows 5 feet apart to ensure maximum sunlight exposure and air circulation.
3
Install a support system such as stakes, cages, or trellises immediately after transplanting to keep plants off the soil and improve airflow.
4
Apply a 2 to 3-inch layer of natural mulch, such as straw or wood chips, around the base of the plants to create a physical barrier between the soil spores and the foliage.
5
Water plants exclusively at the soil level using a soaker hose or drip irrigation to avoid wetting the foliage, which encourages fungal growth.
6
Prune the lower 6-12 inches of leaves that touch the ground to prevent soil-borne diseases from splashing onto the plant during rain.
7
Prune suckers and internal branches to maintain a clear 'alley' in the center of the plant, maximizing airflow to keep leaves dry.
8
Apply preventative fungicides every 7 to 10 days, ensuring full coverage of both the top and lower sides of the leaves, including the interior of the plant.
9
Sanitize pruning tools with alcohol or bleach solutions between uses to avoid spreading pathogens from one plant to another.
10
Remove and destroy all infected plants and previous season's plant debris; do not compost these materials as they can reinfest the garden.
Pro Tips
Do not prune plants when they are wet, as this promotes the spread of bacterial and fungal pathogens.