Tomato Blight - One of the Few Tomato Diseases
Growing tomatoes under glass brings few serious problems but when growing tomatos outdoors one thing to look out for is tomato blight. This is a serious tomato disease that can devastate a crop in a very short time.
The tomato fungus-like organism spreads rapidly in the foliage and / or fruit of tomatoes in wet weather. The first signs in the leaves can be hard to miss, being mistaken for sun or wind damage but the collapse and decay of the leaves which turn brown and especially the decay of the tomato fruit is very obvious.
During humid conditions a fine white fungal growth may be seen around the edge of the lesions on the underside of the leaves.
Brown patches may appear on green fruit, while more mature fruits will decay rapidly.
Do not compost infected leaves and fruit, preferably burn this material and make sure that any fallen infected leaves or tomatoes are gathered up. Cleanliness is essential.
Gardeners should be aware that even clearing up all infected material the year that tomato blight attacks does not mean that this tomato disease will not return the following year. Unfortunately the spores are carried on the wind and can be blown onto outdoor tomatoes from neighbouring tomato or potato crops. Tomato blight thrives in wet and warm conditions and so in a rainy summer there is a high risk of infection.
This tomato disease is less of a problem in a greenhouse glass as the spores need to find their way into the glasshouse. However if tomato blight gets a hold in a glasshouse the high humidity inside can lead to very rapid spread through tomato plants.
There is no doubt that of the tomato plant diseases tomato blight is the one that gardeners fear.
