Afternoon all - I've got 3 tomato plants in the back garden, all of which are flowering well and producing fruits.

One started to show some brown black discolouration on stems and foliage about 2 weeks ago. I chopped most of the offending foliage off in a stoned haze about a week ago, and all 3 plants have been treated with essence a couple of times.

The problem plant already had quite a few toms on it, but I've noticed that one is showing brown discolouration on the fruit, and many of the others the remains of the flower are also going black/brown. The other two plants show no problem at the moment.

Is this tomato blight?

If so do I need to destroy this plant to avoid it infecting the other two?

Do peeps reckon Essence should be effective as preventative measure?

Some pics....

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Cheers for any advice.

BP

Hi BP,

Do I spy that the toms are in pots ?

You would be very unlikely to have blight on just one plant it spreads like wildfire and generally it ain't been wet enough, don't know where you are though. We have had it for the last 2 years due to prolonged rain and cold conditioins, the only thing to use is a product called Dithane 945. And that don't allways work.

If they are in pots and they have got on the dry side and then watered it's more likley to be blossom end rot, if it is I would just remove the affected fruit and hope it sets a few more flowers. If in doubt sling it, but don't compost.

Good luck,

JOM

How far from the ground do the first darkened areas on the stem occur?

I think this is quite an exotic collection of diseases. I don't think it is blight - usually the tomato would be brown, whilst the calyx remains green. 'Sunscald' will turn the calyx brown and put little spots on the shoulder, but would not explain the stem lesions or leaf spotting.

My tentative theory is that the plant has succumbed to a bacterial infection, causing the stem and leaves to develop brown patches - probably Didymella stem rot (Didymella lycopersici) or Bacterial canker (Corynebacterium michiganense). This has weakened the plant and allowed a secondary fungal infection, perhaps powdery mildew, to attack the calyx.

Pull the bugger out..

That's what I meant to say ,

Respect man you know your stuff.

What do you do to prevent blight Andypotatoes ? like I said we have suffered in the last 2 years Toms and spuds, used Dithane, before, during and then gave up and pulled the lot, I've planted a bit further apart this year, and with the predicted summer I'm keeping fingers crossed.

JOM

Cheers both, - that's some diagnosis Andy

Andy the discolouration on the stems is/was all on the secondary growth none on the main stem.
They are in pots, generally watered every 2nd day, everyday if it's hot. I'm south coast so it hasn't been very wet at all.

Variety is Maskota, a bush/tumbling var. Started them off indoors back in March.....they were probably put outside a little early - end of April.

I will get rid.....

Heya , im affraid it looks like blight to me , dont forget all the spores from previous years so little rain is needed really , i heard of an old lady who used to light fires under hollyhocks to destroys the build up , bit dodgy next to here big shoe , , imho , either way Bp look up green tom chutneys and such , good luck .

Essence is not effective against potato\tomato blight. At present there is no effective bio control against early or late blight, copper spray is very effective though, remove all parts infected with blight, Then spray all surfaces with a copper based fungicide.

This will only stop further infection, copper acts as a barrier killing spores on germination, any spores that have already germinated into the plant tissue will continue to develop, so keep an eye out for developing leasons every day after the first spray, respray every 7 to 14 days.


If you are in the uk, it would be handy to know the approximate area/county, as its better to pre treat and protect once blight is in an area rather than try and control once infected.

i also thought that blight came with underwatering?

Nope, blight is caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans. Spores are spread by wind, rain and infected plants under favourable conditions of high humidity 80% rh + and a minimum air temperature of 10oC (50oF).

thank you OT ...i have noticed that the ones inside the greenhouse seem to be better than the ones outside
probably due to less wind etc,cross of infection from localised plants

that also puts to rest the "arguement "i've been having with my father.....and it is more disease than lack of water

just dont want to be harvesting next to nothing....like last year

thanks again OT

Cheers OT1

Location - South East coastal - we get occasional see fog/mist but I don't think humidity has been that bad......

The offending plant has been destroyed. The other two look fine but I'll check for any diseased foliage remove and treat....I think I've got some dithane somewhere.

Plantmagic does seem to think Essence might have some protective effect against blight....

This is a useful site for information on blight:- http://www.blightwatch.co.uk/content/bw-Smith.asp. From there you can register for blight warnings (by first part of postcode).

I think you may be confusing blight with blossom end rot.

All of my gardening books say there is very little that can be done agaisnt blight, other than remove and burn the infected parts of the plant.

Hope thing improve for you.

maybe i am FAI,thanks for that
and touch wood everything is looking more promising than last year

Good luck Tightbud,

We have had big problems in the last couple of years, I'm planting with bigger spaces in between everything this year, not sure why, I know it's airbourne but I'm sure I read there was less chance of it starting with better air movement around plants, and some sun for a change.

Top link hairy face, int tinternet amazing.

JOM

Quick update - The other two plants have remained disease free and are just starting to crop now. Continued with fortnightly essence sprays as couldn't find my old bottle of dithane......I don't think it was blight.

Also got peppers and chillis flowering and fruiting well. Aubergines are flowering well, but no fruits as yet. All in pots in the back yard. South Coast.......