Tomato & Squash ALERT!

If you are growing tomatoes or squash in your garden plot, you need to read this alert.

If your plot number is:

3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 19 - 39  - You need to act on this alert ASAP.

 

The warm, damp weather of the last two weeks has brought disease to some tomato plants and squash plants.

In a community garden like ours, disease can spread quickly to nearby plots, so we need to act quickly.

 

Tomato plants in the plots listed above are infected with fungal disease, in particular, Early Blight and Septoria Leaf Spot.

You can recognize these diseases by looking at the leaves on the lowest part of the tomato plant: round, yellow spots turn to black or brown. Some look like targets. Heavily infected leaves turn completely yellow, then brown,then fall.

 

Squash plants in the plot numbers listed above are infected with powdery mildew. If you grow squash and the leaves are whitish in color, or are dried and brown, you also need to act.

 

What to do:

Remove the diseased leaves and the brown, dead plant material.

Bag the plant material and dispose of it - do not put it in the compost pile.

Disinfect/clean the pruners you use and wash your hands after handling the infected material.

If your plant is heavily infested, remove the entire plant.

 

When to do it:

Fast action is crucial to prevent the spread of disease to other members plots. It can be controlled if every member tends to their plants.

Please make it a priority to tend your plot this week. If you cannot, email pygarden@yahoo.com or call 585-554-4698.

Be advised - if a plant is diseased and not cleaned up by the member by Saturday, July 27, the garden coordinators will remove infected plants.

 

We thank Abby Seaman, Vegetable Integrated Pest Management Coordinator for NYS, for her visit to our garden today, and for her diagnosis and suggested treatment.

 

Kathleen Badger

Garden Coordinator