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Is this tomato blight, if not any ideas what it is please?

January ManJanuary Man Posts: 212
edited August 2020 in Fruit & veg
Hi

Sorry for another tomato blight thread, but after babying our plants and looking forward to the first ripened tomatoes, we don't want things to go wrong at this stage! 

We've got around 20-25 plants in all.  They're in a poly tunnel.  4 or so plants are affected, and they are next to each other.  So far, apart of a couple of fruits, it is only leaves that are effected.  The stems are ok as far as I can see...  

If it's not blight, any other ideas as to what it is and what needs to be done?

I've done a fair few photos to help with the diagnosis!

Many thanks


  













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Posts

  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I'm not sure, but I suggest you remove the yellow leaves and weird fruit just in case.  The top images look a bit like it, but the large bottom leaves don't.  Hopefully someone will confirm.  
    Utah, USA.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'd remove some foliage to allow light and air to the fruit. You compost looks a bit dry too. Tomatoes are very thirsty
    Devon.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited August 2020
    It's normal for the bottom few leaves to get tatty and yellow at this time of year (and it's fine to remove them) but not the top ones. I would move the affected plants out of the tunnel and away from the others just in case.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Just a question @January Man you say polly tunnel,  are the plants near the opening, or where water could drip on them? Water will cause the edges of leaves to brown and curl, cold will too, plus cause dark marks.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    The yellowing in the new growth at the top looks like a nutrient uptake issue.  That can be caused by under or over feeding.  What have you been using to feed them and how often?
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • edhelkaedhelka Posts: 2,351
    The 1st picture looks a bit like early blight (which is very different from late blight and easy to control, just remove the leaves). The fruit looks weird, I am not sure what it is, I would remove it because it will rot anyway. The rest looks like tired/old leaves and some minor nutritional issues.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    The damage to the fruit looks like lack of calcium.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • 14brewmanS_CGtBQg14brewmanS_CGtBQg Posts: 2
    Photo 6 looks like possible Magnesium Deficiency which is usually caused by Tomato Feed locking its uptake by the roots. My second thought is Tomato leaf mould which usually starts on the lower leaf which u can remove.I have the same issue with my Greenhouse tomatoes. I suspect Tomato Leaf mould but I am not 100% sure yet. Could it also be the Natural look of the leaf getting older as others have commented 


  • January ManJanuary Man Posts: 212
    Apologies for not coming back to this sooner.  I don't know where the days go!  

    First and foremost, thanks for all the helpful replies :)  

    Hostafan1 said:
    I'd remove some foliage to allow light and air to the fruit. You compost looks a bit dry too. Tomatoes are very thirsty

    We've since removed more of the lower leaves.  I've always read to only remove leaves up to the first truss.  Are you saying some of the higher leaves can be removed too?  As for dryness, yes -we were just about to water them following those photos. 

    purplerallim said:
    Just a question @January Man you say polly tunnel,  are the plants near the opening, or where water could drip on them? Water will cause the edges of leaves to brown and curl, cold will too, plus cause dark marks.

    We do sometimes get condensation in the polytunnel.  And in all honesty perhaps we've been a bit slapdash when watering in the past and the lower leaves may have got wet.  Possibly the low fruit too.  We've since removed lower leaves and also re-organised the layout in the PT to make watering easier, and so are now more careful to keep water off the plants. 

    BobTheGardener said:
    The damage to the fruit looks like lack of calcium.
    14brewmanS_CGtBQg said:
    Photo 6 looks like possible Magnesium Deficiency

    What would be the best fix for these things?

    JennyJ said:
    It's normal for the bottom few leaves to get tatty and yellow at this time of year (and it's fine to remove them) but not the top ones. I would move the affected plants out of the tunnel and away from the others just in case.

    That's what we did, and - like you say - we were more concerned about the top leaves having problems.

    Well, it's been ten days since I first posted, and looking at the toms this morning we noticed more that have problem up the top.  Unlike before, there is now some discolouration on the stems too.  We've snipped these bits off - photos below.  Not sure if this is something different or a continuation of the same problem.  

    Thanks again to everyone for the great replies.


  • January ManJanuary Man Posts: 212

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