We find the cause and effectively fight it: what to do if the tomatoes turn black below and how to prevent the problem

Every summer, gardeners are faced with a problem - the tomatoes turn black from below. Only yesterday the bushes were healthy, developed and grew, and today there are black spots on the fruits, leaves, stems. There are many reasons for this phenomenon: fungal diseases, infections, violation of cultivation technology, adverse weather conditions and others.

On this page we will give an answer to the question of how to grow tomatoes without loss. You will learn how to solve the problem of blackening of tomatoes, what methods of struggle there are. Experienced gardeners will share their secrets on growing tomatoes.

Why tomatoes turn black and what to do about it

The tomato belongs to the nightshade family, relatives - potatoes, eggplants, peppers. The cultivation of these crops requires adherence to agricultural techniques: climatic and weather conditions, soil conditions should be taken into account. The care technology depends on the place of culture growth.

There are many reasons why dark spots appear on the fruits of tomatoes, the first is disease.

Diseases of nightshade plants:

• late blight;
• gray rot;
• stem necrosis;
• top rot;
• Alternaria (macrosporiosis, brown, dry, brown spot);
• watery rot;
• anthracnose.

We will deal with each in all the details.

Phytophthora as a cause of blackening of tomatoes

Phytophthora is a genus of mushroom-like organisms that cause late blight disease. It infects the leaves, brown spots appear on them, then white bloom. If you do not fight defeats, the plantation disappears in a week. The disease is not immediately visible on the fruits, however, when ripe, brown spots appear, which quickly spread, and the fruits begin to rot.

The reasons for the appearance of late blight:

1. High air humidity, fog, dew.
2. Sharp changes in day and night temperatures.
3. Close fit.
4. Rainy weather.
5. Closed space.
6. The presence of pathogenic microbes in the soil.
7. Seeds with infections.
8. Neighborhood with potatoes, eggplants, peppers.
9. Lack of copper salts in the soil.
10. Violation of agricultural technology.

The problem can be dealt with using chemical and folk methods of struggle.

Vertex rot

The disease does not belong to infections, it appears as a result of dry weather or improper tomato care, for example, overheating in a greenhouse. At the top of the fruit, a brown, flat spot forms, which gradually increases. The bush dries up, the fruits lose moisture and elasticity.

The reasons why apical rot develops:

• the amount of nitrogen in the soil exceeds the norm;
• increased acidity;
• excess or lack of calcium.

Control measures with the problem:

1. Fertilize tomatoes with potassium sulfate. To do this, dissolve a teaspoon of fertilizer in a bucket of water, water the soil and spray the plant.
2. Destroy diseased fruits.
3. Treat the soil and bushes with boric acid: dissolve a tablespoon of acid in a bucket of water.

The treatment should be carried out once a week until the symptoms of the disease completely disappear.

Gray rot

The disease predominantly develops in greenhouses, greenhouses, and crowded planting. When infected, grayish-brown spots with a gray bloom appear on the bushes. After five days, the spot grows to 5 cm, spreads along the stem. Vascular necrosis forms on the stems, the plant does not receive adequate nutrition, and dies.

First aid for the defeat of gray mold:

• scatter charcoal on plantations;
• sprinkle the bushes with crushed chalk;
• treat with a solution of copper sulfate;
• use a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for processing;
• spray the bushes with 1% Bordeaux liquid.

Stem necrosis

The disease begins early in the season when the first hands are formed. The plant is covered with elongated brown spots. On the sections of the stem, the affected vessels are visible, visible aerial roots appear in the root part. The leaves gradually darken, a mesh forms on the tomatoes, when the bush is shaken, the fruits fall off.

Every second plant dies, the disease enters the chronic phase. Removing diseased plants along with the roots will help prevent the spread of the fungus. Stem necrosis bacteria live in seeds and tops. For safety, the earth is disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Means of protection:

1. Preventive treatment of seeds before planting, soak in 0.25% solution of the drug "Narcissus".
2. Compliance with the optimal temperature in greenhouses, ventilation.
3. Cleaning of vegetable waste from the garden.

Alternaria

This disease is called by other names: macrosporiosis, brown or dry spot, brown spot. Plants become covered with brown spots, which gradually increase to 1.5-2 cm. Over time, the leaves die off, spots with a velvety bloom appear on the fruits. Tomatoes fall green, small surviving fruits.

The causative agent of Alternaria is a moldy fungus that forms spores and spreads by air; it loves a humid warm climate. The first signs of the disease appear after planting seedlings in the ground. Small white spots appear on the lower leaves. Three days later, the disease affects the bush.

Control measures:

1. If damaged, treat with fungicides.
2. Disinfection of the soil with a 1% solution of copper sulfate will help get rid of the fungus.
3. Feed the plantation with mineral fertilizers.
4. Tie tall varieties on a trellis.
5. Mulch the land under the bushes with needles, hay, straw.

Watery rot

Another attack that affects tomatoes is the bacteria Erwinia aroidea. It enters tomatoes through cracks in the peel. Caterpillars and mice are often to blame, damaging the fruit. Bite wounds get pathogenic bacteria that destroy tissue. Tomatoes darken, become brown in color, rot over time, turning into a liquid mass with an unpleasant odor.

It is impossible to fight watery rot with chemicals. The only remedy is prevention. Carry out the following activities in the garden:

• remove plants infected with rot from the site;
• do not allow plantings to thicken;
• carry out pest control;
• choose seeds that are not damaged by bacteria for planting;
• carry out activities to strengthen the immunity of tomatoes.

Brown spot

Fungal disease, a type of Alternaria, from which nightshade plants suffer, another name is cladosporiosis. The first signs become visible after flowering.

The upper side of the leaves is covered with light spots, from the lower one can see a bloom of gray or brown color. The leaves dry up quickly, the bush does not receive nutrition and dies. The fight against brown spot begins with treating the bushes with antifungal agents, which contain copper.

Important... Chemicals are discontinued one month before harvest.

Preventive measures will help prevent the appearance of brown spot on tomatoes:

1. For planting, choose varieties of hybrid tomatoes that are resistant to fungal diseases.
2. Before planting, heat the seeds, warm them up at a temperature of 50˚С.
3. Remove the lower branches of the bushes regularly.
4. Ventilate the greenhouse every day.
5. When watering, water should not fall on the leaves.
6. Do not let the soil dry out.
7. Feed your tomatoes with potash or phosphate fertilizers.
8. Do not fertilize with fresh mullein or bird droppings.
9. Remove plant residues from the site.

Tomato leaf anthracnose

An infectious disease that affects adult bushes. Then the fruits are covered with spots with depressions, the upper leaves wither, the plant easily breaks out of the ground.

Hay stick preparations help to fight infection; they strengthen the immunity of plants.

Other causes of browning tomatoes

In addition to disease, there are other factors that cause darkening of fruits and leaves.

Improper care

Violation of the following growing technologies leads to the death of plants:

1. Uneven watering.
2. Wrong feeding... An abundance or lack of nutrients affects tomatoes equally.
3. Close fit.
4. Sunburn. Plants that do not have enough foliage are damaged more often. Therefore, if part of the leaves was removed due to their damage, additional shading should be provided to the plants.
5. Acidic soils... Tomatoes grow on neutral and slightly acidic soils.

Dry soil

The optimum humidity for growing tomatoes is 60-70%; they do not tolerate dry soil well. During the growing season, tomatoes are watered differently, depending on the stage of growth.

Water abundantly it is necessary in two cases:

• during the period of strengthening the seedlings in the ground, during this period the lack of moisture leads to the death of the plantings;
• from the moment of setting until the ripening of the fruit.

Water sparingly the rest of the time.

Why it happens that tomatoes turn black in the greenhouse

Tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse in regions where there is not enough heat and frequent rains. Plants are thermophilic, in cold rainy weather they get sick and disappear. Even in greenhouses, black spots often appear on tomatoes.

Six reasons why tomatoes turn black in a greenhouse and solutions:

1. Violation of humidity and temperature conditions leads to the development of fungal diseases. The solution is to water as needed under the root, without soaking the leaves.
2. Soil salinization, this happens when a lot of fertilizers are applied. The solution is to stop fertilizing.
3. The roots are bare, crawled out, the food does not come to the full, the tomatoes turn black. The solution is to cover the roots with earth.
4. Lack of boron and magnesium in the soil. The solution is to fertilize.
5. Fungal infectious diseases. The solution is to treat with Bordeaux liquid or other drugs.
6. Lack of ventilation. The solution is to ventilate the greenhouse.

Chemicals and folk methods in the fight against darkening of tomatoes

At the first appearance of black spots on tomatoes, we immediately begin to fight. Some gardeners prefer a chemical preparation, others choose folk methods.

Chemical treatment methods:

1. With little damage to the plantation, 1% Bordeaux liquid solution.
2. Severely affected plantations are treated with fungicides: "Topaz", "Champion", "Integral" and others.
3. The bushes are coated with a fungicide solution: a bucket of water, 300 g of CMC glue, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of fungicide, 100 g of chalk.
4. Trichopolum tablets help in the fight against fungi. Dissolve one tablet in a liter of water, spray three times per season.
5. After the seedlings have begun, they are treated with copper sulfate. Dilute two tablespoons of vitriol in a bucket of water.
6. Calcium nitrate is easy to treat infections. Dissolve one tablespoon of saltpeter in a bucket of water, spray the stems, leaves, and the ground around the plantings.
7. In the fight against infection, use "Fitosporin". The solution is used to treat the soil and seedlings before planting. Subsequently, the plants are sprayed every 10 days.
8. If the plantation is severely affected, use potassium chloride.Tear off the parts of the bush affected by the disease, spray the plant with 1% potassium chloride solution.

Attention... Chemical treatment is stopped at least one month before harvest.

Folk methods of struggle

• Garlic tincture. Grind 100 g of garlic, add water, let it brew. Dissolve the tincture in a bucket of water, add potassium permanganate on the tip of a knife, spray the tomatoes in the evening or in the morning.
• Serum solution. Dilute the whey in water in a 1: 1 ratio. Process the bushes every day for the first two weeks after planting.
• Milk with iodine. Dilute a liter of milk in 8 liters of water, add 20 drops of iodine, spray the plantation every two weeks.
• Tincture of rotted straw. Pour straw with water, add 1 tbsp. spoon of urea, insist three days, spray twice a season.
• Yeast tincture. Dissolve 100 g of yeast in 10 liters of water and water the bushes. Repeat if necessary.
• Salt solution with iodine. Stir a glass of salt in a bucket of water, add 20 g of iodine, process the tomatoes once a month, throughout the season.
• Piercing with copper wire. Insert the wire into the firm stalk of the tomato. Copper acts on chlorophyll, improves the flow of air into the plant.

Why harvested tomatoes turn black

It happens like this: they harvested, put it in storage and noticed that the fruits turn black.

The reasons for this phenomenon:

1. Insufficient ventilation of the room, lack of oxygen.
2. Incorrect storage temperature.
3. High humidity in the room.
4. Infection of fruits with anthracnose.

reference... Anthracnose is a fungal disease that affects the plant at maturity. Tomatoes ripen, become covered with light spots, then darken, soften and disappear.

How to process tomatoes so that they do not turn black after harvest

Experienced gardeners, noticing the disease, harvest at the ripening stage.

Storage tips:

• removing tomatoes from a bush is better than brown;
• so that the tomatoes ripen without problems after they have been removed from the garden, immerse the fruits for two minutes in hot water at 60 ° C. Then dry, wipe and place until ripe in boxes;
• discard diseased fruits, as they will quickly deteriorate and infect healthy ones;
• for storage, the fruits are plucked together with the stalks;
• green fruits are removed until the temperature at night drops to 5 ° C;
• the affected fruits are stored separately;
• the harvested crop is kept on balconies, in greenhouses, greenhouses;
• during storage, avoid direct sunlight;
• the crop for storage is placed in boxes or on boards;
• ventilate the room, make sure that the humidity does not exceed 80%;
• fruits ripen faster at a temperature of 25˚С.

Preventive measures

Follow the cultivation technique and you will avoid dark spots on the tomatoes. Prevention is a surefire way to fight disease.

Nine steps of prevention:

1. Plant tomatoes in the same place no earlier than three years later.
2. Do not use the soil after potatoes, eggplants, peppers.
3. Do not plant tomatoes next to potatoes.
4. For planting, choose wind-blown, sunny areas.
5. Plant the bushes at a distance of 40 cm.
6. Stepping and pinching.
7. Water in moderation, do not over-water, and avoid dry soil.
8. Remove plants with diseased leaves and fruits.
9. Harvest in time.

How to prevent the spread of the disease next year

The problem is easier to prevent than to fight. You noticed in the garden affected fruits, blackened leaves, dried stems, which means that the tomatoes are sick. Prevent the spread of infection next year.

Precautions:

• plant marigolds, mustard, calendula in the garden, which prevent the spread of diseases;
• disinfect the soil with 1% potassium permanganate solution;
• remove vegetable waste from the garden;
• prepare healthy seeds for planting;
• choose varieties that are resistant to infections;
• mulch the ground with needles, straw, hay;
• treat the greenhouse with a 1% solution of copper sulfate.

Gardeners' recommendations

Experienced farmers have learned to cope with tomato diseases, and each has its own secrets.

Katia: «In the greenhouse, we fight late blight in this way: we water it once or twice a week, we constantly mulch the soil to keep moisture. The greenhouse heating method helps to get rid of fungi. In hot weather, we close the greenhouse for a couple of hours, late blight does not like this.

Sergei: «I grow tomatoes in a greenhouse, recently I noticed black spots on the bushes. To preserve the harvest, the green fruits had to be cut off. For the purpose of disinfection, it stood for two minutes in hot water at 60 ° C, put it in storage in boxes. Copper sulphate was sprinkled in the greenhouse. "

Ivan: «I fight tomato disease in the grandmother's way - I spray it with milk and iodine. I only notice the signs of the disease, I cut off all the fruits. Then I prepare a solution: I dissolve a small bottle of iodine in a bucket of warm water. I immerse tomatoes without cuttings in a solution for 20 minutes, take them out, dry them and store them in boxes. I water the earth and bushes with a solution of milk and iodine. "

Conclusion

There are many reasons why tomato fruits begin to turn black. Among the main factors of influence are fungal and bacterial diseases. Another group of reasons is improper care, violation of the watering and nutrition regime. Treating plant diseases is more difficult than preventing them. In order to prevent the development of pathologies, follow the prevention methods described in the article.