Fight brown rot on tomatoes with effective prevention

Fight brown rot on tomatoes with effective prevention

Correctly identify the first symptoms

The earlier you recognize the impending adversity, the more efficient your countermeasures will be. Keep an eye on the weather throughout the tomato season. The pathogens of brown rot only become active after prolonged rain at warm temperatures. If the following features are added, there is an urgent need for action:

  • fuzzy brown spots appear on the stems and leaves
  • a white patina forms on the underside of the leaf
  • all of the foliage turns brown, then black and falls off
  • the fruits are covered with glassy, ​​brown speckles

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Finally, the tomato peel will burst and the fruit will fall to the ground. You shouldn't let it get that far, because at this late stage only complete clearing of the entire plantation will help.

The brown rot always in sight - from planting to harvest

Experienced hobby gardeners align the entire tomato cultivation process with the defense against brown rot. The measures start with the choice of location. The sunnier and airier the location, the faster the plants dry off. The further away from the potato bed, the lower the risk of infection. In the greenhouse, the risk of brown rot is reduced to a minimum. Alternatively, build a rain canopy or use tomato hoods.

  • Ideally, grow tomatoes with one shoot
  • always water in the early morning hours
  • never pour over the leaves
  • mulch with straw and leaves to reduce splashing water
  • Remove the leaves up to 40 centimeters in the lower area
  • repeatedly exhausted
  • Treat regularly with tonics such as liverwort extract or horsetail broth

If tomato plants are injured for any reason, the wound tissue is treated immediately. An onion peel extract works wonders here. You pour 1 liter of water over 20 grams of onion skins. After a few days, a brownish tincture is created, which you strain off. If you brush on endangered areas on a plant, the active ingredient will keep away pathogens and pests.

Are infected fruits still edible?

If a tomato plant has been affected by brown rot, the fruits should no longer be eaten. The plants' own antibodies (phytoalexins) develop in the early stages of infection. These chemical compounds are toxic to the human organism.

Tips & Tricks

Bush tomatoes usually fall victim to brown rot infection first because they dry out more slowly. If you do not want to do without the cultivation of these varieties, bush tomatoes should be planted at a reasonable distance from stick tomatoes - out of the main wind direction.