Gardening News & Tips

Tomato Blight

When plants suffer from tomato blight, leaves suddenly wither, stop growing, and die. Later, plant parts may rot.

Infectious plant diseases are often classified by the type of symptom they cause.Common diseases include early and late blights that are caused by fungi and attack tomatoes and their relatives.

Causes

If leaves of your tomato plants have dark, ringed spots, the cause may be early blight. Lower leaves and stems are generally affected first by tomato blight. This fungal disease is also known as Alternaria blight. The disease occurs when plants are loaded with fruit and during warm, humid temperatures of 75 to 85 degrees.

Late tomato blight often causes foliage with water-soaked patches that turn brown, dry, and papery. In wet weather the patches may develop a ring of white mold. Additionally, stems may have blackened areas. Infected fruit have large, firm, greasy, irregular brown spots. This fungal disease frequently occurs during humid weather with cool nights below 60 degrees and warm days of 70 to 85 degrees.

Other indications of tomato blight:

Fruit with green, water soaked spots is often caused by late blight. Spots expand into large brown areas but remain firm. Spots that appear near the stem while fruit is green are symptoms of early blight.

Best organic control

For early and late tomato blight: Spray infected plants with sulfur and/or copper to halt further blight development. Sulfur is one of the oldest pesticides known. It has been used for centuries to control plant pathogens like blight. Sulfur is mined from natural deposits as a yellow solid that is nearly soluble in water. It is available in solution form or as a finely ground dust.

Horsetail Spray

Some organic gardeners use the common weed horsetail spray as a botanical fungicide to prevent and control plant diseases such as tomato blight. Although, the spray has not been scientifically tested for fungicidal properties, it is popular among backyard gardeners as a protectant fungicide.

Spray infected plants once every week to 2 weeks. Sometimes a fungal disease outbreak can be anticipated due to forecasted and current weather conditions. It is good advice to begin a preventive spray routine before any symptoms are even spotted. Experiment to determine which plants and diseases the spray works best on and keep records for future reference.

Non-organic methods

Sulfur can be mixed with inorganic fungicides to use as a protectant fungicide against blight, powdery mildews, rusts, and other plant diseases effecting tomatoes.

Precautions

Even though sulfur is probably the most commonly used organic fungicide, it is moderately toxic to humans and other mammals. Use carefully or it can irritate lungs, skin, or eyes. Always wear protective clothing when applying sulfur.

Prevention

By selecting a well-drained, uphill gardening site, you can reduce the time your plant leaves remain wet from rain or watering. Choosing a bed that is basking in sunlight and gentle breezes can keep your plants high and dry. Pruning helps air to circulate freely among the plants allowing the sunshine to rapidly dry foliage and branches after the morning dew or seasonal rains. Crop rotation can stamp out soil borne pathogens.

Prevent problems of tomato blight by planting resistant cultivars and spraying transplants with an anti-transpirant. Although they are usually not thought of as fungicides, anti-transpirants and oil sprays may help prevent fungal infections. Both of these products form a coating on leaves that seems to prevent spore germination and penetration. For late blights: Spray plants with compost tea to help avoid further symptoms from developing.

Go to Identifying-Garden-Pests from Tomato Blight

Tomato Fungus

Prevention is your best defense against plant diseases such as tomato fungus because once your plants are infected it is nearly impossible to eradicate.

Disease symptoms are caused by pathogens which include: fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

Causes

Fungal diseases like tomato fungus result in plant symptoms seen on roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. Generally they are caused by fungi that live in the soil or in the air. Some of the most common signs caused by fungal disease are: damping off, root rot, wilts, club root, blights, mildews, rusts, and leaf spot.

Types of fungus

Blights including early and late blight, attack tomatoes and their relatives. The fungus can damage or kill leaves and cause rot in the fruit. Early blight causes leaves with dark, ringed spots on leaves and fruit.

Leaf spot symptoms are caused by a wide range of fungi, which includes Septoria and anthracnose. Fruit infected by tomato fungus anthracnose has ringed sunken spots. Infected tomatoes eventually rot. Septoria symptoms start as small yellow spots that slowly turn brown. Whole leaves may yellow and drop.

Best organic method

Purchase stocky, disease-free plants or start your own seed indoors. Soak seed in a 10 percent bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water for 10 minutes. Then rinse in clean water before planting to reduce seed-borne diseases.

Experiment with the homemade controls below to find the organic method that works best for you. First, make a test application by treating only a few leaves and then wait a few days to check for effectiveness or any damages before continuing to use.

Compost tea sprayed onto tomato plants can prevent fungal disease. Mix one part compost with five parts water. Allow to stand for 1 week. Then strain before spraying.

Soak 3 ounces minced garlic in 2 teaspoons of mineral oil for 24 hours. Strain. Add 1 pint water and 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap. Mix thoroughly. Spray plants with a mixture of 2 tablespoons soap mix and 1 pint water to control the fungus on tomatoes.

Non organic treatments

Fungicide use dates back to the late 1800s when sulfur was used to kill fungi and other disease-causing organisms on both people and plants.

To control fungus on tomatoes, spray plants with a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda mixed with a few drops of dish soap and 1 quart water. This prevents spores from germinating and may help stop infections already started.

A through spray of vegetable oil coats plant surfaces acts as a barrier to infection. Oils seem to prevent fungal rusts.

Preventions

Avoid anthracnose fungus by selecting resistant varieties when available. Using proper sanitation techniques are the best prevention method for avoiding tomato fungus. Plant in well-drained soil and do not touch plants when they are wet. Remove and destroy infected plants.

Prevent Septoria leaf spot by removing and destroying infected leaves. Clean up plant debris in the fall. Use disease-free seed. Crop rotation reduces the chance of the fungus.

If you have experienced difficulties in past years with tomato fungus, avoid infection by most fungi with applying organic fungicide treatments like sulfur or copper every 5 to 10 days.

Applying fungicides on a regular basis is often recommended to prevent disease such as tomato fungus. To use efficiently, keep records of the disease problems that occur in your garden. Learn about diseases common to your area to help reduce fungicide use.

Go to Identifying-Garden-Pests from Tomato Fungus

Tomato Bugs

Few foods are as delicious as ripe, freshly picked garden tomatoes.

However, there are numerous tomato bugs that have the same appetite for your juicy produce! We want to help you in identifying and eradicating these uninvited guests to your garden party. For example, you can control insects such as the tomato worm by companion planting the herb borage with your tomatoes.

Types of tomato bugs

Aphids

Adults are pear shaped insects with two short tubes projecting backward from the tip of the abdomen. They have long antennae and are variously colored dusty gray, pink, green, or black. They may be wingless or have transparent wings. Aphids pierce leaves and suck plant sap. Feeding causes distorted leaves, buds, and flowers. Some species spread viruses as they feed. Large numbers of aphids are killed by native predators and parasites. Attract these to the garden by planting pollen and nectar plants.

Tomato Hornworm

These large caterpillars blend in very well with foliage and can do serious damage to leaves. Adults are gray, narrow winged moths with rows of orange dots along their abdomens. The green larvae are up to 4

Tomato Rot

Tomato rot or blossom-end rot often affects early season tomatoes. It starts as a tan patch on the bottom of the fruit and expands to a dark, sunken area.According to the United States Department of Agriculture, four out of every five people surveyed preferred tomatoes over any other homegrown vegetable. Garden-less Americans go so far as to grow tomatoes in backyards barrels, tubs, pots, or window boxes, anywhere they can cultivate a spot for the tasty fruit. The last thing anyone wants to see on the fruits of their labor is unsightly tomato rot.

Causes

The cause of rot is related to the way the fruit functions. This type of problem can range anywhere susceptible crops are grown. Tomatoes and peppers are affected by tomato rot.

A calcium deficiency in the plant causes of rot on tomato. Although, sufficient calcium may be present in the soil, not enough is reaching plant tissues. This may be caused by excessive nitrogen fertilization, extreme variations in the water supply made available to plants, or overly abundant plant growth. Watering extremes could be due to drought, floods, or injury to the root system. Tomato rot is worse in dry, hot temperatures.

Signs

A sign of tomato rot is when a water-soaked brown spot appears on the blossom end of the fruit. The spot will typically enlarge and turn into a black or leathery brown patch. If the problem is severe, the fruit will have a concave or somewhat flattened bottom end.

Best organic preventive method

Watering and mulching sufficiently during dry conditions prevents tomato rotting and wilts. Maintain an even supply of moisture with regular watering and deep mulches. Avoid over fertilizing with nitrogen. Protect roots by using mulch, rather than cultivation, to control weeds. Test your garden soil periodically and correct nutrient imbalances.At the first signs of tomato blossom rot, pay extra close attention to mulching and watering chores. Plants usually grow out of a problem later in the season when undesirable conditions are corrected. Spraying with seaweed extract may help provide the necessary calcium to affected tomato plants.

Non organic methods

A calcium deficiency may be corrected by the addition of agricultural lime to acid soils, aiming for a soil pH of 6.5. Add organic matter to the soil to improve its moisture-retaining capabilities. Avoiding plant damages is a lot simpler accomplished than attempting to adverse effects, so take corrective measures as soon as possible.

Botrytis Fruit Rot

This rot on tomato produces a fluffy, light-colored mold on a wide range of produce including greenhouse tomatoes. The fruit rot is caused by a fungus that affects crops worldwide. On tomato, infections appear initially as "ghost spots", small brown spots of dead tissue surrounded with an often slightly raised pale halo.

Other symptoms include the characteristic whitish, gray, or tan mold which grows on fruit that when disturbed causes a puff of gray spores to scatter. Infected fruits have water-soaked spots, which later appear light brown and crack as the fungus grows.

Prevention

Botrytis fruit rot develops under particularly moist and cool conditions. Typically where injury to tissues gives fungal spores an opening. Promote good air circulation by spacing and pruning plants in greenhouses. Increase ventilation and heating to dry leaves early in the day. To control the rot, destroy infected fruit or other plant material. Avoid injuring plants and control insect pests.

Go to indoor-gardening-light from Tomato Rot

Tomato Pests

Not only is the idea of growing vine ripened tomatoes attractive to you, but the juicy fruits attract tomato pests as well. In fact, a vegetable garden attracts wildlife, butterflies, birds, and insects by the score.

Seasoned gardeners are armed with the knowledge before the season ever starts to expect minor pest damage to their crops. When taking preventative steps becomes necessary, it is the best advice to deal with the problem in environmentally sound ways as possible.

Tomato crop pests and other garden creatures are a normal part of the balance of nature. Seeing a few bugs now and then on your tomato plants is to be expected. Certain insects like ladybugs and lacewings are desirable garden visitors.