![]() Again, to help prevent this spread, follow plant spacing recommendations and practice crop rotation to avoid a buildup of spores in the soil. And remember, diseased plant material goes in the trash, not the compost bin!Įarly blight spreads easily and wantonly among tomatoes and others in the nightshade family – like peppers, eggplant and potatoes. Make sure to sanitize your tools before moving on to another plant – a quick spray of rubbing alcohol – will do the trick. Once the Early Blight hits there is no cure, but you can be proactive in removing the affected leaves and stems. It will slowly make its way up the plant and in severe cases, it can in infect fruit. The disease can also be seed-borne, which is why it is very important to purchase seed from a reputable seed company.Įarly blight starts out with small brownish-to-black spots on the oldest leaves of the plant, usually at the bottom and the spots eventually turn the leaves yellow. The most common disease in tomatoes is the fungal disease, Early Blight, also known as Alternaria. Fungal spores can be soil-borne, meaning they live within the soil or they can float in on the wind from other affected plants. There aren’t any guarantees in gardening! Early Blight (Alternaria) But keep in mind – resistance to disease does not mean disease-proof. ![]() This designates that the plant is resistant to Alternaria (Early Blight), Verticillium Wilt and Fusarium wilt.ĭisease resistant information can also been found in the plant descriptions of seed catalogs. You may have seen plant tags with the letters “A,” “V,” or “F” on them. One great option is to select plant varieties that are resistant to specific diseases and many hybrid tomato varieties are bred for just that. Many diseases can be prevented by following basic gardening best practices (click to read). In fact, many tomato diseases don’t have a “cure.” Meaning there isn’t a chemical application to “stop and reverse the disease” once it starts. It’s far easier to prevent disease than it is to try and cure or eliminate it. When it comes to tomatoes and diseases the saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” rings true. It’s a free resource and it can save you time and worry. These professionals can help identify the problem and offer various methods for prevention and control. My advice is if your once-healthy tomato plant, or any plant in your garden, starts to look poorly, take photos and collect samples of the affected leaf, stem, or fruit and get to your local County Extension or Master Gardener’s office. Septoria Leaf Spot can present symptoms similar to Early Blight. The symptoms of Early Blight, shown here, are often confused with Septoria Leaf Spot, show to the right. ![]() It can be very difficult to determine if what you are seeing is Early Blight (Alternaria) or Septoria Leaf Spot. Many diseases exhibit similar conditions, such as leaf spotting or yellowing or browning leaves. ![]() It doesn’t mean that you have failed as a gardener – even the most seasoned and experienced gardeners face disease and pests – so don’t be discouraged when it occurs.ĭiagnosing tomato disease can also be very challenging – even for experts. Unfortunately, many tomato diseases are exasperated by hot, humid conditions that are common in coastal regions and the Southeast.ĭiseases in the garden are common and eventually you will experience some type of disease. ![]() Regions that tend to be cooler, dryer and less humid - like my region in North Idaho, generally see less disease than regions of the country that are hot and humid. The extent of disease impact can really depend on where you live in the country. Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables grown in the home garden, but they also happen to be highly susceptible to disease and pests. ![]()
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