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watson524

Is this bacterial speck?

11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago

Could someone tell me what this is on my leaves? I use drip irrigation in containers tho we've had a lot of rain here in NE PA lately so the leaves getting wet is out of my control. I sprayed copper but then more rains came. Not sure how often I can spray with copper.

In looking at some pictures online, it looks like bacterial speck to me. I'm not having holes left in the leaves so I think that rules out bacterial spot. The only other thing I was thinking was septoria leaf spot but they don't go to gray spots, they stay black. I seem to run into this every year. So far it's not affecting blossom growth and on my 4 plants I only have one tomato that's about an inch in size and a few where the blossom just dropped and the fruit is starting to grow.

And I don't know if it's relevant but some of the "arms" are curling. So not the main stem and NOT the leaves but the "branches" if you will that the leaves are attached to are curling under on say the bottom half of the plant

thanks!

Comments (4)

  • 11 years ago

    It looks like septoria, or maybe early blight. The only way to be sure is to have it tested if you have a local agricultural extension office. I don't think septoria or EB will attack the fruit, but bacterial speck will. In the past has the fruit been affected? Septoria and EB are both able to overwinter so if you are using the same pots each year, irrigation system, re-using soil, not sterilizing garden tools, there could be a chance this is why you have recurrent problems. Or if you purchase transplants a large number of them from big box stores carry disease. Septoria also lives on certain yard weeds so it is possible it has another host plant in your yard. I have had luck with removing diseased leaves and alternating spraying with copper, daconil, and serenade. The schedule for all of them is basically once per week or more often if it has rained. I personally would not spray copper or daconil more than twice per week even if there has been a lot of rain because I don't want it building up in the soil and I have had copper burn leaves esp if sprayed before hot sunny weather.

  • 11 years ago

    Thanks for the info. We don't have an extension office near by but I emailed the closest one some pictures but haven't heard back yet. Fruit hasn't been affected in the past tho I've had low fruit production. I bleached the pots and cages, had new soil and it started before I put the drip system in (tho good note to clean that too). I talked to my local farmer down the road and he said it's a problem around here so he pre treats as best he can. Unfortunately, we're now having 2 days of heavy rain here so no point in spraying anything now but I'll start with daconil and copper as soon as I can and keep my fingers crossed.

  • 11 years ago

    it could be too much water. If you used a regular bag of potting soil, it is mostly peat. Wet potting soil compresses. Then rain and the irrigation, so much water it will not allow the soil to dry. Roots need well drained soil, esp in a container.



  • 11 years ago

    The extension office got back to me and confirmed it's septoria. Apparently it's bad in our area with spores floating around. Now that it has finally stopped raining, I applied a copper spray and trimmed some of the affect leaves off, didn't want to strip them all out, and will just keep an eye on things.

    I also have a new issue, mainly on my hanging cherry tomato plant but seeing a bit of it on the other 3: blossom drop. I haven't tested the Nitrogen because of all the rain but will do that this weekend but I suspect it's because of all the rain/humidity and not polinating the flowers, at least on the non hanging one. On the hanging one, there's a LOT of flowers so I suspect it's just dropping the "extras".

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