Identifying My Problem

murihikukid · October 27, 2016

Hi...I know this will be extremely difficult from a few photos but would anybody be able to identify what is happening here...I noted the lower leaves on a branch were discoloured and crumbling from dryness last night so I clipped it off...This morning I have taken some photos so please understand it has been lying overnight off the plant....My main concern was not to have my camera flash go off (its really overcast today) I did however try to hold an LED worklight over the branch while taking my photos ..All three are of the same but taken from different angles..

Thankyou Ron

KarenO · October 28, 2016

Sorry to say this appears to be a fungal disease known as late blight.
You can search on this site for methods of treatment such a spraying with diluted bleach, copper etc.

gorbelly · October 30, 2016

That looks a lot like frost damage to me. Did you happen to get temps down to or close to freezing recently? Frost damage can happen at temps slightly above freezing, too, depending on some different variables, and lower leaves being affected could be consistent with lower temps near the ground, too.

EDIT: never mind. I just read where you said the leaves had been off the plant overnight and saw another post where you talk about growing indoors. It's best to see damage on the plant itself or immediately after it's been pruned off.

murihikukid · October 30, 2016

Hi..Yes I appreciate your comment ..Did I make a mistake ...When I saw the leaf I snipped it off ..it was about 1am ...I did not think it was worth while taking a photo by flash so waited til morning..but there was a cold night not long back when I thought a lot of people may have got caught out because we are having a wonderful late winter /spring here and people have been buying plants at least a month prior to our traditional planting weekend....

I have just finished transplanting my seedlings etc and have had a good look around and apart from one dead plant ??? I do not see any sign of disease...I watered my plants one night and inspecting my plants in the morning one was completely dead ...its been a mystery to me .... but then Tomatoes never cease to amaze me..

Regards Ron

brownrexx · October 31, 2016

That does not look like Late Blight to me and if you only have one dead plant then I think that LB is unlikely because it usually spreads like wildfire through a group of plants.

Father'sDaughter · October 31, 2016

I usually only get dry and crumbly on parts of the leaves like that when leaves end up against the plastic in my mini greenhouse on a hot sunny day and get scorched. Any chance that could have happened to this plant?

October 30, 2016	#3
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	That looks a lot like frost damage to me. Did you happen to get temps down to or close to freezing recently? Frost damage can happen at temps slightly above freezing, too, depending on some different variables, and lower leaves being affected could be consistent with lower temps near the ground, too. EDIT: never mind. I just read where you said the leaves had been off the plant overnight and saw another post where you talk about growing indoors. It's best to see damage on the plant itself or immediately after it's been pruned off. Last edited by gorbelly; October 30, 2016 at 01:49 AM.

October 31, 2016	#6
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	Identifying My Problem I usually only get dry and crumbly on parts of the leaves like that when leaves end up against the plastic in my mini greenhouse on a hot sunny day and get scorched. Any chance that could have happened to this plant?

October 28, 2016	#2
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,932	Sorry to say this appears to be a fungal disease known as late blight. You can search on this site for methods of treatment such a spraying with diluted bleach, copper etc.

October 30, 2016	#4
murihikukid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Invercargill New Zealand Posts: 1,022	Hi..Yes I appreciate your comment ..Did I make a mistake ...When I saw the leaf I snipped it off ..it was about 1am ...I did not think it was worth while taking a photo by flash so waited til morning..but there was a cold night not long back when I thought a lot of people may have got caught out because we are having a wonderful late winter /spring here and people have been buying plants at least a month prior to our traditional planting weekend.... I have just finished transplanting my seedlings etc and have had a good look around and apart from one dead plant ??? I do not see any sign of disease...I watered my plants one night and inspecting my plants in the morning one was completely dead ...its been a mystery to me .... but then Tomatoes never cease to amaze me.. Regards Ron

October 31, 2016	#5
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	That does not look like Late Blight to me and if you only have one dead plant then I think that LB is unlikely because it usually spreads like wildfire through a group of plants.