Tomato / pepper leaf issues (blight?) -

[Sweets777]

I'm looking for input on whether the attached pics look like tomato leaf blight - It's my first year growing tomatoes, though last year I did have a potential case of alternaria leaf blight on cantaloupes - not sure if this puts tomatoes at higher risk.

Tomatoes are spread out all across the yard, various varieties, some in ground and some in pots, and a majority of them have some degree of necrotic spots on leaves. Most of the tomatoes don't seem to be showing any issues but most are still young and green - tomatoes from the most mature plant do have small spots on them per pictures - thoughts on if this is related to the leaf issues?

I've noticed very similar leaf spots on peppers which are growing very close to the tomatoes - peppers are also pictured below. Are there bacterial/fungal issues which are known to spread amongst tomatoes or peppers or would these most likely be entirely separate issues?

I'm concerned about a potential pathogen spreading throughout my garden and potentially destroying the harvest, so any help or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[Chuck]

Looks like early blight on the tomatoes and insect damage on the peppers. Looks like stinkbug damage on the tomato. Is the tomato leaf spot coming from the bottom up or is it beginning at random spots?

 

[Sweets777]

Looks like early blight on the tomatoes and insect damage on the peppers. Looks like stinkbug damage on the tomato. Is the tomato leaf spot coming from the bottom up or is it beginning at random spots?

So the spots on the actual tomatoes look like stinkbug damage rather than being related to blight?

The tomato leaf spot is pretty widespread throughout the plants but it does seem to be a bit worse toward the bottom of the plants. Is it worth spraying to try and treat early blight? I have a baking soda/neem oil mix that I'm using for my cantaloupes (powdery mildew / alternaria) and wonder if that's worth trying?

 

[Chuck]

So the spots on the actual tomatoes look like stinkbug damage rather than being related to blight?

The tomato leaf spot is pretty widespread throughout the plants but it does seem to be a bit worse toward the bottom of the plants. Is it worth spraying to try and treat early blight? I have a baking soda/neem oil mix that I'm using for my cantaloupes (powdery mildew / alternaria) and wonder if that's worth trying?

Where are you located? Please update your profile. You may live where late blight is a problem or where early blight is a problem. Click on your name and go to account details and fill in the boxes

 

[Sweets777]

My mistake - just updated my profile (Cape cod, MA, zone 7a). Let me know if there's any other info that would be helpful in narrowing down what I'm dealing with - really appreciate the help

 

[Chuck]

My mistake - just updated my profile (Cape cod, MA, zone 7a). Let me know if there's any other info that would be helpful in narrowing down what I'm dealing with - really appreciate the help

The imperfections on the tomato are insect damage, not a fungal issue. As I stated in another post, prevention is the key. Do not overhead water, do not water in the evenings or at night, mulch around your plants to prevent soil splash, At first sight of disease remove that affected part. If a melon plant, the affected leaf. If a tomato plant the affected limb. On tomatoes I remove all limbs but leave the suckers for at least a foot as symptoms appear. I even remove healthy limbs. Heat is a big problem in Texas and removing these limbs necessitates fairly heavy mulching. This prevents soil splash, retains moisture and helps with cooling.

 

[skinyea]

I dont know why but alot of people on the east coast are getting tomato blight this year. I had to pull 6 plants due to blight. all but 15 0f my container tomato's had early blight . crazy year

 

[Chuck]

I dont know why but alot of people on the east coast are getting tomato blight this year. I had to pull 6 plants due to blight. all but 15 0f my container tomato's had early blight . crazy year

Did you have a lot of rain and cooler temps early on?

 

[skinyea]

Did you have a lot of rain and cooler temps early on?

rain yes. it is mid august and I other than containers, I have yet to have to water the garden. but not cool. it hasbeen warmer than usual.

 

[Chuck]

rain yes. it is mid august and I other than containers, I have yet to have to water the garden. but not cool. it hasbeen warmer than usual.

I was just curious. Blight and other fungi really like a lot of moisture. Early blight likes hot temps to get started but most of the other fungi like temps cooler so the moisture can't evaporate quite as fast. Here in Texas we had a cooler and much wetter than normal spring. Early blight had a late start so I didn't do anything except remove all limbs from my tomatoes for about the first foot or so. Never sprayed anything except cucumbers for fungus. I had a better than average year on everything

 

[skinyea]

I was just curious. Blight and other fungi really like a lot of moisture. Early blight likes hot temps to get started but most of the other fungi like temps cooler so the moisture can't evaporate quite as fast. Here in Texas we had a cooler and much wetter than normal spring. Early blight had a late start so I didn't do anything except remove all limbs from my tomatoes for about the first foot or so. Never sprayed anything except cucumbers for fungus. I had a better than average year on everything

I do the same, cut them up about a foot. I was talking to a farmer down the road and he has a idea that the cicadas might have something to do with the browning of tomato leaves. the cicadas might have laid their eggs on the plants instead of on trees.