![]() ![]() Don’t be confused by the name “early” as the disease may occur at any time during the growing season. Early blight causes irregular, brown leaf spots (lesions) that range in size up to ½ inch in diameter. It occurs to some extent every year wherever tomatoes are grown. One common cultural or physiological disorder - blossom end rot - will also be reviewed.Įarly blight (VCE Publication 450-708), which is caused by the fungus Alteraria solani, is common in Virginia. They include: early blight, septoria leafspot, verticillium and fusarium wilts, late blight, tobacco mosaic virus and bacterial spot. This month in The Garden Shed we are going to take a look at some common tomato diseases that occur in Virginia. And the most important thing I’ve learned is that even in a bad year, those garden tomatoes sure taste a lot better than those from the supermarket. Even in the most challenging year, I try to remember: problems in the tomato patch are an opportunity to learn and to prepare for next year. And one important lesson I have learned is that healthy plants don’t always start, stay or end that way. ![]() Many problems can be prevented if tomato varieties are carefully chosen and properly cared for they are less susceptible to disease and pest problems. Over the years I have found that there is little point in chasing perfection with chemicals. A certain amount of loss is normal, and just like the stock market, some years are more enjoyable than others. Growing tomatoes is not for the gardener seeking perfection. One thing I have learned about growing tomatoes over forty years of gardening is that many things can go wrong in the tomato patch some can be fixed and some can’t be fixed, and no tomato crop is perfect. ![]() For many of my gardening friends, myself included, summer really doesn’t start until that first summer-ripened tomato is plucked from the vine. As the days grow longer and the summer heats up, I wait anxiously for that first ripe, sun-warmed, sweet tomato. ![]()
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