Question
I recently used your information to build raised bed gardens and everything seemed to work weell, thanks for your help.My next issue is with fungus or blight.I have a history of losing tomato plants to said blight(yellowing and spotting on the leaves)and it has  appeared on one again this year(out of 18)What is your way of handling it before its a real problem?Also, my peppers seem to be losing and yellowing the bottom leaves(especially bell variety)

thanks

Answer
Once this disease enters the soil, it must be killed off before you can plant tomatoes, peppers, or eggplant in that same area. Chemicals will not do the trick. One way to do so is with a method called solarization. By laying 3 mil black plastic over the entire area for a 3 month period, the heat will kill the disease. Unfortunately, this must be done in the warmer months meaning nothing can be grown there that season.

You will also need to rotate your crops on a 3 year cycle. This eliminates the disease from propagating. It also is beneficial for the plants since different plants tend to draw varying amounts of nutrients from the soil.

Yellow leaves are generally an indication of poor drainage. The roots become water-logged and cannot absorb the nutrients necessary for green foliage and good production.

My recommendation is to supplement the soil by adding organic matter. These amendments include peat moss, aged manure, and compost. If you do not have these readily available, you can purchase them by the yard at most nurseries. These will improve the tilth of the soil, which in turn will correct the drainage problem. They will also provide nitrogen and phosphorus to the soil, which have most likely have been depleted due to the excessive water in the soil.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Good luck, and have a great weekend.

Mike