Blight spray on tomato fruit

by Amy Dennis
(Delaware, OH)

Q. I am wondering: does the spray used against blight for tomatoes have a waiting time period after which fruit must not be eaten? Fungicide products say to spray every 7-10 days and after rain. I try to use as little chemicals as possible in my garden.

A. You can safely spray fruit-bearing tomatoes with copper fungicides. Washing will remove residue and there is no waiting period after treating or harvesting.The U.S. government’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) routinely reviews fungicides and their safety. Currently, in the U.S. there are no human toxicity concerns associated with tomatoes treated with copper fungicides. The EPA recommends a defined concentration range for fungicide application. There are no restrictions on the total amount that can be applied to a crop over a season.

Read more details about harvesting tomatoes after spraying.

Good luck and happy gardening
Your friends at Tomato Dirt