Tomato Plant Diseases to Watch Out for this Summer

Brian German This Land of Ours

tomatoes

Nothing will ruin a tomato crop plant than diseases like leaf spots and blights that can pop up and ruin your garden party. Don’t let these potential problems scare you away, though. Growing healthy tomato plants is relatively simple when you plant disease-resistant varieties, space plants properly, mulch, and water at least 1 inch per week.

Septoria leaf spots is a fungus that creates a small, circular spot turning leaves to yellow, wither, spot, and fall off.  Long periods of warm, wet weather help this disease flourish, and splashing water quickly spreads spores to other leaves. Control leaf spot by not crowding your tomatoes.

Fusarium and Verticillium Wilt are caused by fungi in the soil that enter through young roots, then begin to plug the vessels that move water to the roots and stems of the plants. Without enough water, the plants begin wilting on sunny days, although they’ll appear to recover at night.

Listen to Cathy Isom’s report below.

Tomato Plant Diseases to Watch Out for this Summer