The poor tomato plants! Their life in the bed is not so easy. They constantly have to defend their he alth against all sorts of diseases. Often this doesn't work. Sometimes ugly spots appear on the leaves. Could it be the dreaded leaf spot?
How do I recognize and combat leaf spot on tomatoes?
Leaf spot on tomatoes is caused by the fungus Septoria lycopersici and appears as watery, gray spots with dark edges on the leaves. To combat this, remove infected leaves, keep the root area dry when watering and ensure adequate air circulation.
Symptoms of disease on tomatoes
The leaf spot disease can be easily identified as such upon closer inspection. These are the signs that point to her:
- 4-5 mm large spots
- they are watery and gray inside
- A dark border separates it from he althy tissue
- the remaining leaf yellows
- the lower, older leaves are affected
- There are black spore deposits on the undersides
- they can grow together to form large areas
Note:Leaf spot disease can often be observed on tomatoes if celery grows in their immediate vicinity. This is very vulnerable and in turn becomes a source of infection.
Also know about brown spots on tomatoes, black spots on tomatoes and yellow leaves on tomato plants.
Effect on tomato fruits
Although the tomato plant is a beautiful sight, it is invariably cultivated for its fruits. Therefore, any tomato disease immediately raises the question: Will it ruin my harvest?
The red tomato fruits are not infected by this fungal pathogen. So nothing stands in the way of their consumption. However, depending on the severity of the infestation, the harvest will be more modest. The green leaves provide the energy needed for fruit formation. The less he althy leaf mass available, the fewer or smaller tomatoes can be expected.
Fight disease?
The red fruits remain edible, and the tomato plant is an annual plant in this country anyway. Does it make sense to bring more sales to the chemical industry? Home remedies do not help against this fungus called Septoria lycopersici.
It is still necessary to warn against ignoring this disease. The fungal pathogen can spread to other nearby plants. For example, leaf spot also affects cucumbers, rocket and many other types of vegetables and flowers.
Appropriate control measures
Remove any spotted leaves from the tomato plants and also collect fallen specimens. They all need to be disposed of. But please don't compost! A moist and wet environment promotes spread. In the following year at the latest, make sure that your tomato plants are dry and airy.
From now on, if you don't already do it this way, only water your tomatoes over the root area. Estimate whether you can leave the diseased plants standing for some time. However, after the harvest at the latest, you should immediately clear them from the bed and then dig it up deeply.
