TOMATO

DISEASES

• Speck
• Stem Rot
• Sun Scald
• Blossom End Rot
• Cracking

SPECK

• Description: tiny dark brown to black spots with yellow halo
• Symptoms: may result in leaf and plant stunning
• Causes: bacteria
• Prevention/Treatment: None

STEM ROT

• Description: outward blackening of the stem and leaf tissue
• Symptoms: blackened pith tissue, effects leaves
• Cause: bacteria
• Prevention/Treatment: Watch your soil, no treatment

SUN SCALD

• Description: a sun burn, when a fruit is exposed to extremely hot weather
• Symptoms: skin will look bruised and leathery. Sunken and puckered
• Cause: hot weather
• Prevention/Treatment: be sure to leave adequate foliage on plants when pruning
• Use shade cloth

BLOSSOM END ROT

• Description: spots that gradually widen
• Symptoms: dark spots at lower end of fruit
• Cause: environmental uneven water and calcium
• Treatment/Prevention: make sure soil is rich in nutrients

CRACKING

• Description: causes cracks in the tomato
• Symptoms: circular splitting at stem end or cracks on stem
• Cause: fruit outbreaks skin
• Prevention/Treatment: pick tomato just before fully ripe

INSECTS

• Cut Worms
• Flea Beatles
• Hornworms
• Nematodes
• Aphids

CUTWORMS

• Description: grub like caterpillars that feed on young plant stems
• Symptoms: cuts in leaves
• Cause: being transplanted there
• Prevention/Treatment: put collars on seedlings, no treatment

FLEA BEATLES

• Description: jumps like a flea attacks both sides
• Symptoms: adults eat foilage that leaves holes
• Cause: attracted to solanceae family
• Treatment/Prevention: place traps and use row covers

HORN WORM

• Description: destructive caterpillar
• Symptoms: feed on blossoming leaves and fruits
• Cause: laid there
• Prevention/ Treatment: pick off of plant or spray with water

NEMATODES

• Description: destruction
• Symptoms: causes bumps that take nutrients
• Cause: foreign soil
• Treatment/prevention: rotation, soil, sterilization

APHIDS

• Description: dense clusters of tiny insects
• Symptoms: can injure or kill plant
• Cause: laid there
• Treatment/prevention: squash with thumb, pinch off foliage