Damping-off is the term gardeners use to describe the wilting and death of seedlings just before or just after they emerge from the soil. Seedlings that suddenly collapse or fall over or bare spots in containers or in the garden where seeds were sown but never appeared are signs of damping-off. Damping-off is not caused…
Diseases
How to Identify Early Blight, Late Blight, and Leaf Spot on Tomatoes
Early blight, late blight, and leaf spot are common fungal diseases of tomato plants. Late blight is the most serious of the three. It spreads rapidly and will likely destroy the infected plant and can quickly spread to other plants—including potatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Here are basics for identifying these fungal diseases: Conditions for Disease…
Late Blight Fungus Disease
Late blight is a fungal disease that can infect tomato and potato plants. The disease spreads rapidly and will likely destroy the infected plant in a few days. Wind- and water-borne fungal spores can quickly spread to other plants—including eggplants, and peppers. Late blight commonly strikes when nights are cool and moist and days are…
Early Blight Fungus Disease
Early blight is a fungal disease that targets tomatoes in particular but also hits potatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Early blight can infect plants at almost any time during the growing season. It is most prevalent in regions where there is high humidity and when temperatures are greater than 75°F. Fungal spores carrying the disease are…
Septoria Leaf Spot Fungus Disease
Septoria leaf spot is a fungal disease. It is one of the most destructive tomato plant diseases and affects a wide range of other vegetables and garden plants as well. Septoria fungal leaf spot is most severe in regions where warm, wet, humid weather extends over several days to weeks. Target Plants: tomato, celery, cucumber-family…
Anthracnose Leaf-Spot Fungus
Anthracnose—also called Leaf Spot Fungus–is a catch-all name to describe several diseases caused by fungi that flourish in wet weather. Anthracnose causes small, dark spots with yellow halos to develop on leaves. The spots become sunken lesions. Lesions may also form on stems and fruits. Leaf spots grow larger, become angular, and then dry until…
Rust Disease
Rust is a fungal disease that attacks many vegetable and fruit crops and ornamental plants as well. Rust fungal spores are commonly carried on moist winds until they land on plant leaves, stems, flowers, or fruits. The spore pustules multiply creating a rusty-colored coating of spores. The coating of spores can eventually cover leaves and…
10 Natural, Organic Steps to Control Garden Pests and Diseases
There are natural, organic ways to deal with pest and disease problems in the garden. Many of these ways have proved effective over hundreds and even thousands of years. Today these techniques are often called integrated pest management (IPM) or organic pest management (OPM). Fundamental to IPM or OPM is close observation—meaning getting into the…
Bacterial Leaf Spot Disease
Bacterial leaf spot disease produces small, dark irregular spots on tomato and pepper leaves; leaves eventually turn yellow and drop off. This defoliation weakens plants and exposes developing fruits to sunscald. Small, dark, wartlike raised spots with slightly sunken centers may appear on green fruits. Rot organisms are able to enter the fruit at these…
Blossom End Rot
Blossom end rot is a black, sunken area at the blossom end of tomatoes or peppers. The blossom end is the end of the fruit opposite the stem. Blossom end rot is most often seen on green fruits, usually the first fruits to appear on the plant. Blossom end rot is caused by calcium deficiency…
