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zxcvbob · 07-06-2010, 07:26 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible

wrote:
General Schvantzkoph wrote:

I've beenspraying my tomatoes with copper fungicide spray this year to prevent
blight. Last year was a complete disaster in my area (New England) because of late blight.
Last year I brought home what looked suspiciously like potato
blight on some commercial cucumber sets; in addition, it took out a
tomato in short order before I got them disposed of. Fortunately, those
plants were in containers so the soil is isolated and I'll grow other
things in those containers for a few years.
This year, it was a sudden onslaught of downy mildew that caused me
to pull a batch of "little marvel" peas on 1 May, just as they were
their most productive. Since then, I've sprayed _everything_ (well,
almost) with neem oil at least weekly, depending on rainfall. I also
sterilize my trellises, shears, knife, butcher's cotton twine garden
ties, etc. with 91% alcohol.
This is my first year using neem oil. In past years, I've used
copper fungicides with only spotty, unreliable results so if the neem
doesn't kill stuff outright....

I wonder if I should somehow sterilize my old tomato cages? (made of
rusty concrete reinforcement mesh) Or maybe discard them and build
new ones? They are at least 10 or 15 years old. Do you think blight
(etc) spores could overwinter in the rust? I leave them outdoors
exposed to the cold and snow, that's one reason they are so rusty.

Bob