First thing this morning a customer brought in a sample of a poor tomato plant. We have confirmed it is a bacterial infection of the Pseudomonas strain. We usually don’t see this bacteria in our climate but we are having the perfect temperatures for many diseases including this one.

There is no spray to cure it but there are some cultural practices to “grow out” of it and prevent it from continuing to spread.

1. Do not overwater or use over head watering. Keep the leaves dry and only water the plants when they actually begin to wilt, typically every 7-10 days once established. When you do water, water thoroughly and deeply.

2.Fertilize.  Use a balanced fertilizer like Gardner & Bloome Tomato, Vegetable and Herb fertilizer, as directed. You can also add Kelp Meal or Neptunes Seaweed to help boost the immunity of the plant.

3. Clean up debris. At the end of the season remove all parts of the tomato plants and discard. Do not add them to compost or green bin.