Black eggs on tomatoes are a common occurrence that confuses gardeners, as the cause is not always apparent. If you are in a similar situation, fret not. Here are some potential problems that might be the reason behind black eggs on tomato leaves.
What are Black Eggs on Tomato Leaves?
Black eggs on tomato leaves are a sign that there’s something wrong with your plant, and you need to look out for it. The black spots on the tomato leaves may be formed due to several reasons, such as Septoria Leaf Spot, Early Blight, Late Blight, Aphid infestation, or some other fungal diseases.
Potential Problem 1 – Septoria Leaf Spot
A common reason tomato leaves turn black is the Septoria Leaf Spot disease. It is widespread and is usually caused by worms that survive best in humid environments. There is no specific time for this disease; as it can occur at any time of the year.
The right and the only way to combat this disease is to identify it at the earlier stages. Otherwise, it can have severe effects. Usually, the disease starts its attack with older leaves. Firstly, there are small spots with brown edges. Gradually, the spots grow bigger and merge.
The spots are mostly found on leaves but can also affect stems. However, they are never found on the fruit. As the disease progresses, the spots will start affecting new and younger leaves; this is where the situation will get out of hand if you haven’t already addressed it.
When the disease is left unattended, the leaves eventually turn yellow and fall off. Once the leaves start falling, the plant starts deteriorating, and direct exposure to the sun will burn tomatoes.
The fungus, that is the cause of the diseases, thrives in the soil. It spreads from plant to plant during water splashing or with the help of insects.
The foremost treatment after identifying Septoria Leaf Spot should be pruning the affected leaves so that the disease doesn’t spread.
Also, don’t use these infected leaves in compost or don’t put them anywhere near healthy plants, as the infection can spread. The only proper way is to burn these leaves.
You can also use an organic fungicide as soon as the symptoms start appearing. However, you have to ensure you spray all the parts of the plant equally, which is only possible with a hand sprayer. You can prevent this disease by taking the following preventive measures.
- Take care of your garden hygiene.
- Open up space for better airflow. Promoting air circulation can help prevent the Septoria leaf spot.
- Add mulch to your garden. It can prevent water splashing, which is a significant cause of Septoria Leaf Spot. PlantBest Mega Mulch is remarkable in this regard. You can try it out by clicking this link.
- Make sure you are using the correct watering techniques. Don’t do overhead watering, as it can promote Septoria Leaf Spot.
Potential Problem 2 – Blight
Another common disease, Blight, is caused by moist conditions usually triggered by heavy rainfall. You can imagine the seriousness of this disease by the fact that it was the trigger factor of the famous Irish potato famine of the 1880s.
The treatment of Blight depends on when you identify it. The treatment becomes relatively easy if you can identify this disease at earlier stages. However, if it thrives for a longer period, you might not be able to get rid of it.
It has two forms; to identify this deadly disease, you must be familiar with both. Dark brown spots on the lower side of the leaves characterize early blight. Another characteristic feature of Early Blight is that it affects the plant soon after the fruit starts developing.
Though Early Blight doesn’t affect the fruit directly, it damages the leaves. When the plant’s foliage is damaged, the fruit is eventually affected. The best way to treat Early Blight is to spray fungicide on the plant.
The second type of Blight is Late Blight, and the only difference between these two forms of Blight is that the Late Blight can occur at any stage of a plant’s growth rather than the earlier stages of fruit development.
Late Blight spreads and makes tomato plants too weak to produce a good yield. If it thrives for a very long time, it might also promote the growth of white fungus.
Late Blight spreads way faster than Early Blight, so your first line of defense against this disease should be removing all the affected leaves. After that, you can spray a fungicide to treat it.
Potential Problem 3 – Aphid Bug Infestation
Aphids are tiny pests that affect a lot of plants, that also includes the tomatoes. Usually, they are found on the leaves of the affected plant. However, the infection might spread to the stem in some severe cases.
The infection spreads because aphids fly and lay eggs on the leaves of different plants. In some cases, the infestation can also spread from plant to plant. If you are examining your plant for the presence of aphids, always look at the shady parts of the plant, such as under the leaves.
The black spots on the leaves affected by aphids are due to the accumulation of honeydew, a substance excreted by these parasites. Make sure you check your plant properly for any early signs of infestation.
You can start your treatment by trying to remove the parasite from the leaves. One way of doing so is to water the plant with a hose so that water is sprayed with pressure, causing the aphids to separate from the plant. If you use this method, be careful not to harm the blossoms and fruit.
If there are only a few aphids, you can also remove them by hand. Besides, you can opt for applying a pesticide to cure aphid infestation. Scotts GrubEx1 can help you kill a variety of damaging turf pests, buy this product using this link now.
Potential Problem 4 – Fungal Diseases
Black eggs on tomato leaves might be caused by several fungal diseases, such as Fusarium Wilt and Alterneria Canker. The Fusarium Wilt affects the tips of the leaves and thrives in the root system of the tomato plant. While Alterneria Canker affects the stems.
Your first step after identifying Fusarium Wilt should be looking out for any debris or toxic waste around the soil where you are growing the tomato plants.
Remove all the debris and waste. Balancing the water content of the soil is also crucial. So, ensure you are watering in the right amount at the right durations.
The characteristic symptom of Alterneria Canker is lesions on the plant’s stem. So, when examining your plant, don’t forget to check the stem. The leading cause of this disease is moist conditions that are mainly triggered by overhead watering or rainy conditions.
Though numerous fungicides available in the market can cure such situations, it is better to prevent them. Once these infections spread to a great extent, treating them might become a hassle. The only effective way to treat fungal diseases is to identify them at an earlier stage.
References
epicgardening.com, plantophiles.com, gardenerscatalog.com, thegreenpinky.com, tomatobible.com
