Recently, many gardeners have sought to use greenhouses for growing tomatoes. Lush green bushes of tomatoes, protected by polycarbonate, attract with bright, fleshy and juicy fruits that ripen several weeks faster than ground ones. And although the plants are protected from the surprises of the weather, numerous diseases tomatoes in the greenhouse made of polycarbonate are becoming a real scourge of vegetable growers.
Over the years, diseases in tomatoes become more and more, and in a greenhouse, the infection quickly spreads among the seedlings. Among the causes of diseases, several can be distinguished:
- violation of agrotechnical growing conditions;
- significant susceptibility of selected tomato varieties to the influence of pathogens;
- high humidity inside the greenhouse;
- contamination of greenhouse soil with pathogens;
- selection of unhealthy seeds.
Before growing tomato seedlings, disinfection must be carried out in the greenhouse, and the seeds must be processed. It is necessary to periodically ventilate the room and inspect the bushes. If at least one diseased plant appears, it should be removed immediately and the causes and type of disease should be found out. Diseases of tomatoes in the greenhouse can be divided into three large groups.
Fungal diseases
If a fungus appears in the greenhouse, it can spread very quickly and destroy the crop. High humidity usually contributes to its appearance. A significant number of tomato diseases in the greenhouse, requiring urgent treatment, are provoked by the fungus.
Anthracnose
Its pathogen is more often transferred from weeds... The fungus is considered a weak pathogen and can exist for a long time in a dormant state in the ground, but with a sharp increase in humidity and temperature, it wakes up. The first signs of tomato disease appear on ripe fruits in the form of small depressed spots, then turning into dark rings. Tomatoes start to rot inside. Green fruits, stems, leaves, as well as the soil around the bushes are also affected. To prevent fungal disease of tomatoes, the following measures should be taken:
- when buying seeds, choose a certified product;
- control the level of humidity and temperature in the greenhouse;
- remove growing weeds in time;
- tie the bushes to the pegs, preventing the fruit from touching the ground;
- periodically alternate sowing tomatoes in a greenhouse with other crops;
- spray seedlings with fungicidal solutions.
Late blight
This is the most dangerous of the fungal diseases of tomatoes in the greenhouse, its signs are clearly visible in the picture:
- brown foliage;
- the appearance of a mealy bloom on the lower plate of seedling leaves;
- dark spots on the fruit.
Gradually, the tomatoes begin to rot, and the entire crop is lost.
Many home methods are effective for preventing and treating tomato disease. The fungus is afraid of garlic. Garlic spraying in the greenhouse should be started from the moment of formation ovaries on tomato bushes and spend every two weeks. You can add a little potassium permanganate to the infusion of garlic. A good preventive measure against tomato diseases in the greenhouse is spraying with a solution of edible salt.Before the procedure, you need to inspect the bushes and remove already damaged leaves. A 2-3% saline solution forms a thin film on the foliage, which protects it from the penetration of fungi.
Having planted tomato seedlings in the ground, you can start weekly kefir spraying after about a dozen days. They will be a good prevention against disease. Iodine added to water with milk will protect plants from fungi and accelerate the ripening of tomatoes.
Ash products have proven themselves quite well processing, which are carried out after planting tomato seedlings, during budding and when ovaries appear. The seedlings are effectively protected from tomato disease by spraying with an infusion of dried and chopped tinder fungus. They should be started during the formation of ovaries and carried out with a frequency of once every 10 days. If signs of late blight appear, you need to process the tomato bushes additionally.
An original method for increasing disease resistance of tomatoes in a greenhouse was proposed by scientists from Germany. In a simpler version, the method consists in piercing the hardened tomato stems with pieces of copper wire up to 4 cm long. The puncture is made about 10 cm above the ground, the ends of the wire are bent down. Copper in micro doses enhances the respiratory and oxidative processes in plants, improving the production of chlorophyll in tomato seedlings.
Fusarium
Fungus causing tomato disease, is activated at high humidity and temperature. Symptoms appear as:
- yellowed and falling lower leaves;
- deformed petioles;
- pinkish-yellow bloom on the root collar of plants.
Gradually, the fungus grows inside the stem, the plant weakens and dies.
Prevention of this tomato disease includes the following actions:
- the fungus accumulates in the soil, so you need to change the soil in the greenhouse or disinfect it;
- after harvesting, all tomato tops should be destroyed;
- excess nitrogen can become the cause of tomato disease - you should not get carried away with fertilizing plants with manure;
- it is necessary to ensure that there is a layer of earth 10-15 cm thick above the root collar, so the tomatoes need to be spud
Root rot
This dangerous tomato disease often appears when the soil is humid in the greenhouse. Although it mainly affects the roots of tomatoes, its signs are also visible on the ground part of the plants:
- the stem in the lower part becomes thinner, withers and dies;
- leaves first wither during the day, and at night they recover, with the development of the disease, they already dry up;
- the stem seems to be loosened, and the root neck of the tomatoes turns black.
To treat tomato disease, the following measures are necessary:
- damaged tomato bushes must be immediately destroyed;
- drain the soil with sand and provide ventilation in the greenhouse;
- sprinkle the root part of the plants with calcined sand or ash;
- to stimulate the growth of additional roots, add a layer of steamed peat on top;
- carry out the fungicide treatment, and pour the growth stimulant on the tomato roots.
If tomato disease has affected too many plants, it is better to completely change the soil in the greenhouse and make a new planting of tomato seedlings.
Alternaria
When this tomato disease in the greenhouse, dry brown spots appear on all parts of the plant, including the fruits. Growing up, they lead to wilting and death of tomatoes.
Symptoms of Alternaria can be distinguished from late blight:
- with the first disease, the spots remain dry at any time, and their outlines are rounded, with clear boundaries;
- with the course of the disease, the leaves turn yellow, which does not happen with late blight - it gives large blurry spots.
When signs of disease appear on the plants, it is necessary to begin treatment with fungicides.
Cladosporium
This fungal disease of tomatoes has another name - brown spot.It is especially common in greenhouses and affects tomatoes during the flowering period. Brown spots appear first on the lower leaves of tomatoes, and then move on to the fruits. If there are already lesions, it is necessary to carry out treatment with fungicides, and after harvesting the tomatoes, treat the greenhouse with a solution of copper sulfate.
Gradual wilting of seedlings
In greenhouses, the phenomenon of slow wilting of tomatoes is often observed. It can be caused by several reasons.
- Sclerotinosis manifests itself at first as whitish spots on the leaves. Then the whole plant becomes discolored and dies. When the first signs of tomato disease appear, you need to replace the soil in the greenhouse or decontaminate it.
- Didymella fungus causes symptoms such as black dots on the stalks of tomatoes. Bordeaux liquid will help to cope with it.
- One of the most dangerous and common tomato diseases in greenhouses is gray rot.... She very quickly captures the greenhouse space and destroys all tomato seedlings. Gray rot is transferred with the soil, therefore it is necessary to disinfect it and normalize the temperature and humidity in the greenhouse.
Powdery mildew
This is a common tomato disease in the greenhouse, the photo shows the affected plants.
It occurs when drip moisture forms in the greenhouse. Its first signs appear in the form of a white coating on the leaves, reminiscent of scattered flour. With development tomato disease leaves curl and fall off, the plant dies. It is difficult to deal with powdery mildew. As means for control, you can use spraying solutions:
- colloidal sulfur;
- copper sulfate;
- mullein with the addition of urea;
- soda ash with urea;
- milk whey;
- dry mustard;
- infusion of garlic.
Viral diseases
This type of tomato disease is dangerous because effective ways to combat it have not yet been found. Therefore, they are easier to prevent by treating the seeds before planting and the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Aspermia
For the first time, tomato disease was discovered in the 40s of the last century. Its main features:
- excessive bushiness of the tops of plants;
- inhibition of the growth of the main and lateral shoots;
- wrinkled curled leaves;
- deformation of the fruit.
Tomato necrosis
The causes of this tomato disease are associated with factors such as:
- insufficient illumination of plants;
- poor ventilation in the greenhouse;
- excessive watering;
- saturation of the soil with nitrogen fertilizer.
Mosaic
Tomato disease manifests itself as light green leaf spots... The rate of development of plants decreases, and the virus remains on the seeds.
Bacterial
The most dangerous are bacterial diseases of tomatoes in a greenhouse - photo. Their treatment is very difficult - it is almost impossible to save the harvest, so it is better to carry out preventive work before planting tomatoes:
- disinfect seeds;
- change the topsoil annually and decontaminate the soil in the greenhouse;
- remove and burn diseased plants as soon as possible;
- disinfect the tools used.
Black spot
Symptoms of tomato disease appear first on the leaves in the form of small brown spots, which gradually increase and cover all parts of the plant, including the fruit. Gradually, it dies. To combat the disease, it is necessary to thoroughly spray tomato seedlings with bactericidal solutions, Bordeaux liquid. But most importantly:
- detect and remove affected plant parts in time;
- make sure that the tomato seedlings are not too thickened;
- change or disinfect the soil in the greenhouse annually;
- after setting the fruit, you can remove the lower leaves on the tomato bushes.
Tomato cancer
This dangerous tomato disease begins with wilting and curling of the lower leaves on the seedlings. On the cuts of the stems, you can see darkening and a yellow hollow core.Spots also appear on the fruits, due to which the tomatoes lose their presentation. High humidity and temperature in the greenhouse contribute to the development of cancer. In the fight against tomato disease, copper-containing fungicides provide effective help, but timely prevention is better.
Pests
Tomatoes in greenhouses have a variety of pests that can cause disease symptoms. Therefore, you should regularly inspect the bushes in the greenhouse and the soil around them.
Spider mite
The pest is very small in size, it braids the tomato bushes with a thin cobweb and sucks out the plant sap. As a result, tomato leaves dry and fall off. Ticks usually exist in colonies and hide on the underside of foliage, under clumps of earth and fallen leaves.
To combat the pest of tomatoes, the following measures will help:
- since they die at high humidity, you can, by watering the plant abundantly, close it with a plastic bag;
- up to half of the insects are destroyed by rubbing the leaves with soap and water;
- spraying tomato seedlings with garlic or onion infusions is good, while it is imperative to moisten the underside of the leaves;
- dandelion infusion is also effective;
- careful spraying of tomatoes with phosphorus and sulfur preparations will also be beneficial;
- mites are afraid of ultraviolet radiation, which can be used in the fight against them - you need to irradiate all the nooks where they hide.
Whitefly
These pests of tomatoes in the greenhouse are small insects, the larvae of which stick to the leaves and feed on the juice. They can be detected by some signs:
- the appearance of flying midges, resembling a mole, over the seedlings;
- the appearance of a white cloud if you shake a tomato bush;
- the presence of black plaque, which gives a concomitant fungus;
- shiny sticky coating on tomato leaves.
Whitefly control agents:
- glue traps - their disadvantage is that beneficial insects are also destroyed;
- wipe the tomato leaves from the underside with cold water and soap;
- significantly reduce the temperature in the greenhouse - up to about 10 degrees;
- spray tomato seedlings with infusions of garlic or yarrow.
Gnawing scoop
This tomato pest, which is a caterpillar up to four centimeters in size, is invisible, since it hides in the soil during the day and feeds on a plant at night. After wintering, adult caterpillars gnaw the stems of tomatoes, and the larvae feed on the pulp of the fruit, penetrating inside. At night, the caterpillars also reach the fruits and leaves of tomatoes, gnawing them. During the night, one individual can ruin 10 bushes.
Various folk remedies can be used to fight:
- butterflies will be deterred by spraying seedlings with a decoction of tomato tops or infusion of wormwood, tobacco;
- you can catch them with sweet baits in the form of fermented juices, jams;
- it is necessary to periodically loosen the soil in the aisles in the greenhouse;
- remove weeds from the beds more often, especially in August, during the laying of eggs.
Wireworm
The larvae of click beetles - yellow caterpillars - harm the roots and stems of tomatoes. The fight against the wireworm must be carried out in a comprehensive manner:
- during the planting of tomato seedlings, it is necessary to put a handful of onion husks in each hole - this measure will scare off the pest;
- dry mustard will successfully replace onion peels;
- siderates will also help, especially the wireworm is afraid of peas, beans;
- using crushed eggshells or ash, you can reduce the acidity of the soil in the greenhouse - this is an effective measure against any pests of tomatoes;
- you can use traps in the form of a fishing line with pieces of potatoes strung on it - it fits into the ground at a depth of 10 centimeters, and after a while it is destroyed along with the caterpillars.
Gall nematode
Tomato pests in the greenhouse are small worms that feed on tomato roots, weakening them.They also release toxins that form growths on the roots of tomatoes. The plant loses the ability to fully receive nutrients and dies. An excellent preventive measure against the pest of tomatoes is the use of trapping plants. The soil is sown with green manure plants - peas, soybeans, vetch or other crops. Their roots secrete substances that attract larvae. The pest is introduced into the root system of green manure, after which the plants are mowed and embedded in the soil. The pest dies before completing the development cycle.
Medvedka
This dangerous pest even reaches greenhouse tomatoes. It lays eggs in the ground, from which larvae emerge after three weeks. They gnaw at the roots of plants. You can fight the bear with folk remedies:
- sow the aisles of tomatoes with marigolds or calendula;
- water the soil around the tomatoes with solutions of onion husks or chicken droppings;
- fill the aisles with sand moistened with kerosene;
- traps placed in the ground are effective;
- a destructive bait for the pest and at the same time an excellent fertilizer for tomatoes will be crushed eggshells mixed with unrefined vegetable oil.
Conclusion
In order not to lose the harvest of delicious tomatoes grown with such hard work and love, you need to choose healthy seeds, strictly adhere to the rules of agricultural technology and carry out preventive treatments in the greenhouse on time.
