I'm finally reporting back as promised above. Over the past couple of weeks we had several days of storms, humidity and heavy rains -- sure to cause high disease pressure, and it did.
I kept up with the BioSafe applications to the affected tomatoes. I applied it at the label-recommended rate of 0.85 fluid ounce (about 5 tsp.) per gallon for high disease pressure conditions. I stopped using Actinovate and Serenade during this time.
So far I'm reasonably happy with the results. The stuff certainly doesn't eradicate the diseases (nothing will, really) and I have to keep up with pruning off infected leaves etc and repspraying every 2 or 3 days. But so far the plants are still doing OK despite the horrid weather. So, the spray seems to be helping to slow down the diseases at least as well as my usual regimen of Actinovate/Serenade and sometimes Neem.
Since I didn't do any sort of comparison or control, I have no way of telling what would have happened with no treatment or treatment with other agents, but as least the plants are still alive and growing - compared to many other years with this kind of weather, when I haven't been so lucky.
If anyone tries the BioSafe product, do heed the warning about eye protection. I wear it when spraying. This consumer version of the Oxidate product is far less concentrated than the commercial one, but you still really don't want the spray in your eyes.
Eric
|