Input needed on foliar disease

sarahs · April 24, 2012

Hello fellow tomato lovers, I need your advice!

I am new here, as I just discovered this amazing forum a few days ago. I am a relatively new gardener, I grew up with parents who were avid gardeners but have only grown my own in the last couple of years (much to learn!)

I just planted my 10 new tomato transplants into my garden exactly one week ago yesterday. Unfortunately, I am already encountering some type of foliar disease. I drove around 150 miles to pick them from a tiny heirloom nursery in LA where I had special ordered them, and am terrified of the thought of loosing them to whatever this is! I have looked through lots of old threads and stickies on the forum about diseases, as well as the wonderful resources you all have posted. I suspect it may be bacterial spot or possibly Septoria? Possible early blight, but the lesions seem to small judging by the pictures. I would love some input, as well as any treatments you guys can recommend! I was all set to go get some daconil today but then I didn't want to use if something else might work better.

It started a few days after transplant on one plant, as tiny dark black spots with no obvious halos that I could see. The lower branches on that plant began to look pretty bad, I just cut them off today (see first few photos). On some leaves there is a black edging around a good part of the leaf. I can see tiny tiny spots on some of the newer growth of the plant I just trimmed. In the last day or two, I noticed that now two of my other plants have little spots starting (last few pictures).

I did not notice any signs of the disease on any of the plants when I first got them a week ago, but it is possible that I could have missed it if it was very small.
I am growing them in a new part of my garden this year (spent about a week ripping out weedy lawn). I did not notice anything like this last year. The plants are spaced at least three feet apart, I mulched with straw to try to avoid soil backsplash. I have been watering with little circular trenches until I can fix my drip system - although I'm sorry to say I mad the dumb mistake of overhead watering them on the first day. I also sprayed everything with Neem oil about 5 day ago. While I like the idea of staying organic, I am more than willing to use something stronger if it will help my plants.

Thank you very much in advance, sorry it's so wordy!

Sarah

amideutch · April 25, 2012

Welcome to Tville. I'm a transplant living in Germany and was born and raised in Whittier.

There has been quite a few threads concerning diseases and the prevention/control of. Daconil is a popular treatment though not organic can be used up to the day of harvest is a protectant in that it basically covers the exterior of the plant and prevents disease from infecting the plant. It has to be used from the git-go as it won't help if the plant is already infected.

Two products that have shown good results and are organic/bio-friendly are Actinovate and EXEL-LG (Phosphorous Acid). Actinovate is a strain of bacteria that eradicate via contact several types of fungus and EXEL LG works as a Systemic fighting disease from within the plant. Both can be applied together at the same time via foliar application and Activate can also be used as a soil drench for soil borne disease.

It's best to use Actinovate when planting out your seedlings as a soil drench and then use with the EXEL LG as a foliar applying once a week. I have used both Actinovate and EXEL LG here in Germany with excellent results.

It's a lot easier to control disease using preventative measures than waiting for it to appear and then trying to control it. Ami

sarahs · April 25, 2012

Thanks for your input Ami. The products you recommended look good, I had not heard of those before. I think I will pick up some Daconil today and try that, since I can get it quickly. It can't hurt I guess. I'm still not sure if this is bacterial or fungal, but maybe the Daconil will at least help my plants that are not yet affected.

I will have to be better about prevention next year. I started with Neem oil, but it didn't prevent whatever this is. I Didn't have any disease problems until much later in the summer last year, but it has been warm and damp here lately.

I am wondering if it i something that plant can survive and go on to be productive... or should I pull them up and plant something else using Daconil or some other prevention as Ami mentoned from the get go? I only planted them a week ago. I am also not sure if it is something that is now in my soil. I hate to pull them, it somehow managed to get the plants I am most excited about: Cuostralee, Mariana's Peace, and Amana Orange.

April 25, 2012	#2
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Welcome to Tville. I'm a transplant living in Germany and was born and raised in Whittier. There has been quite a few threads concerning diseases and the prevention/control of. Daconil is a popular treatment though not organic can be used up to the day of harvest is a protectant in that it basically covers the exterior of the plant and prevents disease from infecting the plant. It has to be used from the git-go as it won't help if the plant is already infected. Two products that have shown good results and are organic/bio-friendly are Actinovate and EXEL-LG (Phosphorous Acid). Actinovate is a strain of bacteria that eradicate via contact several types of fungus and EXEL LG works as a Systemic fighting disease from within the plant. Both can be applied together at the same time via foliar application and Activate can also be used as a soil drench for soil borne disease. It's best to use Actinovate when planting out your seedlings as a soil drench and then use with the EXEL LG as a foliar applying once a week. I have used both Actinovate and EXEL LG here in Germany with excellent results. It's a lot easier to control disease using preventative measures than waiting for it to appear and then trying to control it. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

April 25, 2012	#3
sarahs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Inland Southern California Posts: 8	Thanks for your input Ami. The products you recommended look good, I had not heard of those before. I think I will pick up some Daconil today and try that, since I can get it quickly. It can't hurt I guess. I'm still not sure if this is bacterial or fungal, but maybe the Daconil will at least help my plants that are not yet affected. I will have to be better about prevention next year. I started with Neem oil, but it didn't prevent whatever this is. I Didn't have any disease problems until much later in the summer last year, but it has been warm and damp here lately. I am wondering if it i something that plant can survive and go on to be productive... or should I pull them up and plant something else using Daconil or some other prevention as Ami mentoned from the get go? I only planted them a week ago. I am also not sure if it is something that is now in my soil. I hate to pull them, it somehow managed to get the plants I am most excited about: Cuostralee, Mariana's Peace, and Amana Orange.