Paula,

This is the worst summer for diseases that I've ever seen, and that includes all the years I lived and gardened in Texas. I think it mostly has been the combination of extraordinary moisture/humidity levels with temperatures that were just perfect for the diseases to start and spread. Even on days when it hasn't rained, there has tended to be dew, which in terms of fungal diseases is just as bad.

I would say 75% of the tomato plants in my in-ground garden had Septoria Leaf Spot although none of the plants in containers (at least 200 feet away) did. I also had a minor issue with Early Blight (Alternaria solani). In fact, the Early Blight appeared first and I thought "Uh oh", but it really didn't progress much. Then, about 3 weeks later, I realized Septoria Leaf Spot was appearing.

All I did for Septoria was remove and dispose of the infected leaves. On most of the plants, that put a halt to it. There are 3 or 4 plants where it has continued to spread, and I just may yank them out and replace them with new plants for fall.

I have Kocide and haven't sprayed it because it is raining every day. I just won't spray if I am expecting rain within 24 hours, and we have rain in the forecast every single day for the rest of this week.

If I ever get a day with no forecast rain, I'll spray with the Kocide and then do regular weekly sprayings. Daconil ought to work, but I think that copper works better on Septoria Leaf Spot. (That's not a scientific fact, though--just my opinion on what works in my garden.)

For long-term control, it is important to alternate chlorothalonil (Daconil) with something else on a regular basis because otherwise the diseases are more likely to develop immunity to one product if it is the only one used.

I suspect your tomtoes have early blight, which should have shown up first, and then Septoria shortly thereafter. I don't think Septoria also infects melons, but there is an alternaria (not A. solani which infects tomato plants, but A. cucumerina) that infects melons.

Solarizing helps in general, but it does nothing for dieases that are not soil-borne. (I need Jay to help me here, because I am not sure what survives in soil.) Some tomato diseases survive only on infected debris. So, if you scrupulously remove and destroy (do not compost) all the debris from your garden plot, it will not survive. I think Septoria only survives on debris and not in soil. I think Early Blight can survive on soil, seed, debris, mulch, plant cages and stakes. (Jay, is that accurate?)

The way I try to deal with disease is to remove all debris in the fall. I usually try to add compost to every bed every fall and I think that helps. Healthy soil gives healthier plants that resist disease. I don't usually solarize unless I'm trying to kill grass and weeds to start a new bed, but maybe I should. I try to mulch the plants from day one when they go into the ground. This reduces soil splash and transferrence of diseases that do reside in the soil. It has reduced my incidence of Early Blight tremendously. I try to always water using soaker hoses or drip irrigation and, when I break that rule, I always regret it. I plant my plants farther apart than I want to in order to give them good air circulation.

And, in spite of all the above, diseases have run rampant this year with the in-ground plants, BUT I have only lost 7 plants, and I think all seven (5 in the ground, 2 in containers) died of bacterial wilt. My container plants really haven't had much disease. The two that died of bacterial were at opposite ends of their area, and died 2 weeks apart. The other container plants have had almost no disease issues, but I seeing some Early Blight appearing this week on them.

For the melons, I don't know of anything you can do except spray a fungicide labeled for melons at whatever rate the label says. Melon foliage is notorious for being disease-prone during periods of high humidity. I have found sick melon plants are harder to save than sick tomato plants, but it depends on what they have.

If you are serious about preventing disease, alternate spraying with 2 separate fungicides next year and spray from the first day the plants go into the ground.

Did you get the plants staked up tonight?

I read an article somewhere this week...maybe on the website of one of the newspapers that said the demand for fall tomatoes is totally and completely unprecented this year. I did notice the Gainesville, TX, Wal-Mart that had seemingly cleared out all their tomto plants a couple of weeks ago suddenly had some Bonnie Plants tomato plants in peat pots ($3.50 each) back in the garden center this week.

I prefer to raise my own, but I'll buy a plant if I see one I like, or if my seedlings aren't as far along as I like at planting time.

Dawn