Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
jadie88

Progression of late blight?

jadie88
10 years ago

I'm having one of those "garden variety" panic attacks and could use some advice.

I have a better bush tomato which has been the first of my plants to show signs of foliar disease (99% sure it's septoria). I began spraying with anti fungal spray when it first appeared, and the plant has been healthy-looking and productive. I bought it as a start from a respected local nursery. About 2 weeks ago, while spraying, I noticed a segment of greyish fuzz growing on the dying stub of a leaf branch I had trimmed off (due to some septoria-speckled leaflets). It was clearly a mold or fungus, so I gave it a good soaking with the chlorothalonil and verified days later that it was gone and not spreading.

Last night I was reading up on late blight, and now I am so worried that the stem lesion I saw was actually late blight! It looked exactly like photos I have seen of the disease. I know the time of the season is uncharacteristic,and I haven't heard of outbreaks in my area, but that two inch patch of brown and grey is now making me crazy.

Here's my quandary though: Late Blight doesn't just "go away," yet the plant has shown no further signs of disease. Fruit is untouched, leaves perfect save for the occasional light speckling of controlled septoria. I have inspected the stems and seen no recurrence of the brown lesion with grey fuzz that I previously noted. Finally, no other plants show any signs of disease spread. It has now been over 2 weeks...if that stem lesion really were late blight, wouldn't it have killed the plant and spread to others? Could my chlorothalonil routine be keeping it at bay? Is there anything else that causes stem lesions exactly like those of the dread disease?

Part of me says I'm crazy to worry about a plant that looks so healthy, but part of me is so sure that the patch I saw matches the symptoms of late blight.

Comments (5)

Sponsored
Grow Landscapes
Average rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars8 Reviews
Planning Your Outdoor Space in Loundon County?