Tomatoes are particularly susceptible to late blight, a devastating fungal disease. It can quickly damage a farmer’s crop and wipe out his year-round earnings. How to control, recognize and prevent brown rot in tomatoes? The answer to this question will help you get a good harvest!
Because tomato blight is deadly, early detection is essential to prevent an outbreak. In Ireland in the 1850s, millions of people starved to death from the destruction caused by this disease. This fungal pathogen can destroy an entire tomato crop in a matter of days. What to do about tomato rot Discover helpful tips and remedies against the disease below!
Why is brown rot a big problem?
The causative agent of the brown rot of the tomato, Phytophthora infestans (the word Phytophthora literally means “the plant killer” in science), can only survive in living tissue. Once the sporangia of an infected plant settle on a suitable host, which can be anywhere from a few meters to several kilometers away, germination is almost instantaneous. Tomato blight can spread within a few hours. Rain, fog, morning dew or even watering with a sprinkler system will suffice as long as the leaves get some moisture.
Brown rot symptoms often appear three to four days after infection. Tiny wounds can be seen all over the stems, leaves, and fruit. Infection spreads around these lesions, and the disease can spread to the rest of the garden and beyond under conditions similar to most humid summer days. From each tomato blight lesion, up to 300,000 sporangia can develop into new lesions per day. Because of the damage it can cause, it is important for gardeners to be able to recognize this virus. After all, it’s not just your own harvest that’s at risk. The spores can quickly spread to neighboring lawns and even farmland. When this disease strikes in cool, damp weather, it can appear as if the entire tomato field has been hit by frost.
Tomato blight – typical symptoms
Any part of the tomato plant above ground can be affected by late blight. Green or brown spots of dead tissue are common on infected leaves, and these spots are often surrounded by a pale green or gray border. In particularly wet weather, the tomato blight infestation can appear wet or dark brown and is often described as greasy. A white, furry growth may be seen under the leaves or on the lower stems.
Flowers may wilt and fall off if discolored. The fruits are spoiled by necrotic spots that look black and oily, and the foliage of the plants dies.
Preventing brown rot in tomatoes
Because tomato blight is so difficult to treat once it has already damaged your plants, it’s best to take precautions before the first signs appear.
Choose resistant tomato varieties
Make sure the tomatoes you plant are hardy and from a reputable nursery before planting them in the ground. Tomato seed from disease resistant hybrids is available from many retailers. Check the tomato seedlings for late blight and late blight and remove any infected parts. When planting, make sure the entire plant is free of tomato rot to avoid future problems.
These varieties are recommended: “De Berao”, “Primabella”, “Sunviva”, “Primavera”, “Resibella”, “Fantasia” or “Philovita”, “Vitella”.
Change your cultures often
Brown rot can be avoided by frequent rotation of crops. Whether you have a raised bed, a regular garden, or lots of pots, this technique will help keep the soil fresh and ready for new plants each year. If tomatoes are planted in the same spot year after year, they are susceptible to diseases such as brown rot.
Watch out for moisture and proper watering
Foliage must be kept dry to prevent the spread of this fungus. If possible, water the soil around the plant. This is likely to affect the ability of the fungus to thrive and spread. Setting up a drip irrigation system can also help with moisture control. If you water your garden with sprinklers, set them to a low setting and turn them on in the morning.
Adequate ventilation
To protect your home garden from tomato rot, you should ensure that your tomato plants are adequately ventilated. In the kitchen garden you should give each tomato plant enough space to grow. This is generally a good gardening technique as it reduces the risk of various plant diseases.
Plants with brown rot do not belong in the compost
Use the right composting system. As a rule of thumb, you should not use the spent tomato plants as compost for the next harvest. Composting tomatoes that have been infected with diseases such as brown rot is strictly prohibited, as doing so could release fungal spores that affect later crops.
Combat brown rot in tomatoes – tips and remedies
If you discover infected leaves, you must act immediately. Once you spot brown rot, you can do one of the following to lessen the effects of the disease.
Cut off the affected parts of the plant
The first step in curing tomato blight is to cut off all affected parts of the tomato plant. If you see telltale symptoms, remove the affected parts of the plant and dispose of them well away from your garden. As long as infected plant parts or soil remain, the fungus will continue to spread.
Mulch your infected plants
Mulch has the dual benefit of stopping spores from becoming airborne and adding nutrients to the soil. This reduces the likelihood of the brown rot spreading first.
Combating brown rot in tomatoes with sprays – horsetail broth, garlic tea, and onion peel tea
Tomato blight can be prevented with herbal sprays, but once the disease sets in it is usually difficult to control. Horsetail broth, garlic tea, and onion peel tea are effective home remedies that help prevent brown rot in tomatoes. This method aims to keep disease at bay and provide the plant with essential nutrients.
Please pay attention to the following: Finally, preventive methods, including variety selection, site selection, crop rotation, and general care are the most effective means of controlling late blight in tomatoes.
How can you prepare horsetail broth yourself?
For the field horsetail brew you need:
1 kg fresh or 200 grams dried field horsetail plant 10 l water
Preparation:
Soak the plants in 10 liters of water for 1 day. Then simmer the solution for 30 minutes, allow to cool and strain. Before spraying your tomato plants, you should dilute the solution with 5 times the amount of water. It is best to use the spray in dry weather. An application for three consecutive days helps with the fungal disease.
Does skim milk help against tomato blight?
To prevent brown rot in its early stages, a 10% solution with skimmed milk can be used.
You need:
1 l water 100 ml skimmed milk
How to make a skim milk solution:
Mix the skim milk with the water and shake the solution well. After that, spray both sides of the leaves, stems and fruits of the plant. Treat your plants with the solution every 10 days in moist heat. If the weather is hot and the air is dry, spray the tomatoes every 4 weeks. You should also use the spray after every rain.
Important tip: Never use whole milk! Sooty mold thrives on leaves that have accumulated fat from whole milk.
Are brown rot tomatoes edible?
Unharmed fruit from infested plants can be eaten, but only if eaten quickly. Contaminated fruit should not be canned or frozen because it could increase the pH of the canning solution and encourage bacterial growth.