Disease or damage?

8 years ago

My tomato plants have had a few yellowing lower leaves for a several weeks. I was thinking it was early blight, and so i sprayed with the popular baking soda spray to try to keep it from spreading up the plants. Two days later, at least twice as many lower leaves are yellow, even though I removed the yellowing leaves while spraying. Is this actually damage to my plant, or a different disease? Thanks!

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daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)

8 years ago

I believe that baking soda just prevents acidic conditions that encourage fungal growth. It doesn't actually kill fungi. In order to really stop the stuff from spreading you need a baking soda suspension that allows for a concentrated solution that covers the leaves entirely, and doesn't easily wash off. Not sure what "popular spray" you were using, but just baking soda and water won't cut it. In fact, at high concentrations, baking soda is phytotoxic, so you can suppress the fungi while you kill the leaves.

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Comments (7)

dinner_s
Original Author
8 years ago
Right. Which is why I was surprised to see new yellowing on leaves I had sprayed! I did 1.5 T baking soda, 1/2 T oil, a few drops dish soap, and 1/2 gallon water.

So you would think this is fungus and not other damage?
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funkyhat
8 years ago
Yellowing lower leaves? There are other potential causes, such as nitrogen deficiency. However pics?
dinner_s
Original Author
8 years ago
I attempted to put a photo there! So sorry. It must not have loaded and I didn’t notice. I have used Miracle Gro once so a N deficiency would surprise me (but I am still a beginner in many ways!)
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years ago
Baking soda is a remedy for the common disease Powdery Mildew, but not anything else to my knowledge. Powdery mildew is very unique as far as fungal disorders go and is amenable to control by baking soda....or even a rinse with water from the hose.

Not true for early blight or any other fungus disease.
ashleytardis
8 years ago
Looks like bacterial leaf spot to me.
User
8 years ago
I would dispose the infected leaves in the trash.