What are the most common tomato diseases and how can you avoid them to have a bu

1. 81

   DonnaCosmatoposted 12 years ago

   What are the most common tomato diseases and how can you avoid them to have a bumper crop?

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2. 76

   lobobrandonposted 12 years ago

   There are plenty of tomato plant diseases and one of the easiest ways to avoid them is abstinence. Don't let your tomato plants come in contact with the external environment until they're at least a few weeks old - i.e. grow them indoors at first.
   
   Once they're big enough see to it that you plant them in good soil that receives ample sunlight without a possibility of stagnant water.  Lastly make sure to check your tomatoes for yellow leaves at the tips as those are signs of diseases and undernourishment.
   
   Check out my hub on yellow leaves for more help related to tomato diseases and nutrient deficiencies: http://lobobrandon.hubpages.com/hub/Yel … ato-leaves

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3. 93

   cat on a soapboxposted 12 years ago

   Hi Donna,
   We all want to get an early start on our tomatoes, so they are ready to ripen by July; however, we are at the mercy of the weather. Too much moisture or June gloom can bring on the spotting and yellow leaves.  Bacterial blights and leaf spot like septoria or alternaria can be controlled by carefully pinching lower leaves that appear infected. Try to avoid backsplash from the soil when watering. Serenade (bacillus subtilis) is a promising organic control.
   Viral diseases that begin with yellow leaves then progressive wilting need to be destroyed. Fusarium and verticillium wilt are caused by damage to the structures inside the stems where the plant is unable to take up water and nutrients. These viruses live in the soil for years. Crop rotation or pots are your best solutions in these cases. I routinely grow some in raised beds and some in pots, staggering my plantings to include very heat tolerant varieties for mid-season fruit-set.

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