Thought I would post this question before EVERYONE gets too busy on outside work. The fruit of my tomatoes get sunken dark spots. I know it's not blossom-end rot. It comes mid-season and I think I have narrowed it down to anthracnose. I can't find anything in the archives and have tried to find out as much as I could (wasn't much) about the disease. Does ANYONE have any remedies or know of any resistant tomato varieties? We never had this in other states where we grew 'maters. The disease really ruins the keeping quality/time of the tomatoes. Thanks in advance for any help. Rita

-- Rita in TN (felfoot @twlakes.net), April 16, 2001

Answers

Would that be I am not sure about resistant varieties-but one thing that you can do is make sure you mulch well and be careful about going in the garden when it is wet. also make sure that they are not overcrowded and prune them some for better air circulation. This is a fungus that is most likely to be a problem if bugs have first been a problem or the fruit touches the ground.

Where you are now in TN-is it usually humid or rainy in the summer? I guess I would look for maybe a different way to support the tomatoes (do you let them ramble or cage them and they get too crowded?) and also see about what kinds of tomatoes others grow locally tht seem resistant. Is there a market gardener near you? Maybe you could ask to see what varieties do best for them.

We have ahd lotsof trouble with the varieties we always used here in Missouri ( we came from IL ) and so this year I am not planting anyof the ones I usually do.

Hope that helps and maybe someone knows about resistant varieties and posts the info.

Sarah

-- Sarah (heartsongacres@juno.com), April 16, 2001.

We were told that layering compost around the base and spraying the plants with a baking soda and water mix will combat fungus and blight on tomatoes. Haven't had to try it yet, but have put the compost layers in place. A man I work with said baking soda and water is a good general purpose fungicide. Maybe make the 'maters burpless too :>) Try it on one and see.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 16, 2001.