Gardeners can protect tomatoes from blight disease this spring with one simple natural method that creates a protective barrier around plants
Katherine McPhillips and Vita Molyneux Travel reporter
10:55, 16 Apr 2026
Help your tomatoes thrive with one soil addition(Image: Catherine Falls Commercial via Getty Images)
Tomatoes are relatively straightforward to cultivate and recognised for requiring minimal upkeep, but gardeners must monitor their foliage carefully. April’s characteristic warm yet damp conditions create ideal circumstances for a highly damaging condition known as blight.
Blight propagates via fungal spores carried through moisture and proves extremely difficult to manage once it infiltrates a garden, spreading with alarming speed. The infection typically starts at the plant’s base, causing foliage to develop spots, turn brown and wither, severely limiting the tomato’s ability to generate energy.
Plants with compromised leaves struggle to photosynthesise effectively, resulting in restricted development that’s unlikely to yield any produce, reports the Express.
Should a tomato plant succeed in producing fruit, it will decompose on the vine and become unsuitable for consumption as the condition progresses upwards through the plant.
How to safeguard tomatoes from blight during spring
Early blight frequently occurs at this time of year, though gardeners needn’t be overly concerned, as preventing this condition simply requires avoiding excessive moisture accumulation around the plant.
Tomato blight will first look like spots or discolouration on leaves(Image: Getty)
Tomatoes require ample growing space, as proper air circulation helps leaves to dry more swiftly following rainfall. Ensure each plant has sufficient room and complete sun exposure, since tomatoes cultivated in shaded areas tend to remain moist for longer, promoting disease development.
Watering tomatoes correctly is essential – always direct water towards the soil at the plant’s base rather than overhead, as wet foliage creates perfect conditions for spores to develop.
Bob Wildfong, a gardener from Seeds of Diversity, has explained that proper mulching is the most effective way to protect against blight by preventing rain from carrying spores to your plants.
He explained: “That splash zone is where infected soil will infect your tomato plants. Fortunately, a good mulch will completely prevent the soil from splashing.
Tomatoes will stay healthy if their soil is covered with 1 natural item(Image: Getty)
“Whether you use straw, leaf mulch, newspaper, horticultural plastic, or fabric, any good barrier on the ground around your tomato plants will keep the soil from splashing up.”
Mulching involves covering plants with biodegradable material that gradually decomposes into the soil, enriching it and nourishing the plant.
Beyond creating a protective shield around tomatoes, mulching also stops the soil from becoming waterlogged, denying spores the environment they need to flourish.
It additionally controls soil temperature and moisture levels, minimising plant stress and reducing humidity around the leaves.
This approach not only safeguards tomatoes from blight, but the nutrients released from the mulch encourage robust plant growth that’s naturally more resistant to disease. Nevertheless, avoid mulching tomatoes immediately after planting, as premature mulching can hinder their development and diminish fruit yield.
Bob cautioned: “Just a word of warning about mulching tomatoes, though. While mulch helps prevent blight, helps retain moisture, and keeps weeds down, it also cools the soil.”
A simple way to protect tomato plants is to cover the soil with mulch(Image: Getty)
He continued: “If you mulch tomatoes in spring, at the same time you plant them, the cool soil will slow their growth and make them ripen late.”
Allow tomato seedlings at least a month before applying mulch, giving the soil time to warm sufficiently, then cover established plants with straw, newspaper or similar dry materials.
Timing your mulch application correctly during spring ensures your tomatoes receive proper protection to flourish, resulting in abundant, ripe red fruit throughout the summer months.
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