One of the most destructive and deadly tomato diseases gardeners face that is not very common. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Without a doubt, late blight strikes fear in the heart of all gardeners. It’s one of the most destructive and deadly tomato diseases you could face, but it’s not that common, especially for northern gardeners. It also cannot survive freezing temperatures without a host.
Late blight is a fungal infection that causes irregularly shaped, water-soaked, slimy splotches all over your plant. It starts with the top-most leaves and stems, which is one way to identify this disease from others. Eventually, the entire stem rots, turning black, and you might find white spores on the leaves.
Late blight moves on the wind for miles. While it’s not common, there is little you can do to prevent or treat it because it moves rapidly. Remove the plants and burn them to stop the spread of the spores. If you hear of gardeners in your area with late blight, try spraying a fungicide that contains Bacillus subtilis.
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