Hard to tell from your pix, but in general tomato decline is a fungal problem. Do you regularly spray with fungicide? You probably should. Good ventilation, and keeping water off the foliage will also help prevent it.

If you use overhead watering it's better to do it in the early morning rather than in the evening. Morning watering gives the plants a chance to dry off faster as the sun rises. I see your pics are from late Sept, here in Va Z-7 most of my tomato plants are way past peak and many are dead by then. I get around this by starting some new seed indoors around late May to plant for a late crop of tomatoes up until first frost.

Thanks for your comments. I don't spray and would rather not, at least not with anything toxic, since I have small kids. I did plant my tomatoes too closely last year (18" apart); I have limited space and got a bit greedy. Next summer I'll go back to 24" spacing for tomatoes, which is what I did the first year when I had no disease issues. I also get barely 6 hours of sun, which probably exacerbates fungal issues. The eggplants and peppers I also grew closely, however, did not have any problems.

I do have a drip irrigation system, so no overhead watering.

I like the idea of starting a second crop of seeds to replace some of the ailing plants. Thanks for that suggestion!

I'd still love to know whether this was a leaf spot, a blight, or a wilt, just to know what kind of resistances to look for when I buy new seeds.

Don't spray your kids. Spray the tomatoes. The MSDS on commercial residential fungicides show that they are pretty harmless, and under aerobic conditions, biodegrade readily. If you're still worried, wash your produce after harvest.

Many hybrid tomatoes do have resistance to certain fungal infections, but not all. V and F notes resistance to primary varieties of verticillium wilt and fusarium wilt, but not to secondary varieties. That being said, "resistance" doesn't imply immunity. It just takes longer before they keel over.

Looking at the stems, I wonder if it was grey mold. I've had that a couple of times and have cut out whole branches that were affected which saved the rest of the plant. I usually get Septoria/Early Blight, and I don't treat it. The plants usually keep producing throughout the season and the fruit are not affected.

Rotation is good - if you can manage it. Cleaning up and burning or tossing out any diseased tomato debris is always a good idea, and mulching helps to protect plants from spashback from the soil.

Linda

I agree on mulching to protect from splash back. Also, try 1 Tbsp of baking soda dissolved in 1 gallon of water. Spray on a cloudy day or in the evening to prevent leaves from burning.

Thank you. I have thought about mulching. What do you recommend for mulch?

vgkg, Please message me through here. Thanks.

If you're going to do a homemade fungicide, be sure to add some dish soap as a surfactant. Otherwise it'll just fall off. Maybe some vegetable oil as well.

For mulch, everything from black plastic to grass clippings, newspaper or shredded paper.

Linda

Just a wild guest, but the top ones seems to be septoria, and the later ones early blight.

I think you can't let it get bad then try to save it with fungicide, you have to be on top of it. Some people pre-spray. For me I remove any diseased leaves as they show up.

FWIW, I don't think there are any commercial septoria-resistant ("SLS") tomatoes, but standard fungicides do a pretty good job on it. There are a few hybrids with early blight ("EB") resistance (e.g. "Mountain Merit", "Iron Lady", "Jasper").

Thank you all, and Happy New Year! I think the Septoria/EB guess makes sense, given how this all unfolded. FWIW, I did remove the diseased parts of the plants early on as they appeared, but that wasn't enough to stop it. At some point my plants looked so thinned out it was just too sad to look at, and shortly after I took those pictures in September I ripped all but the Sungold out (which was still producing despite its ailments - in fact all the cherries were).

I will try to prevent it this year by better cultural practices (spacing farther apart, more pruning), and maybe I will spray with something. I have limited ability to do crop rotation because I only have two beds and I primarily grow nightshades.

Thanks again, I really appreciate your comments.

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/pests/plant_pests/veg_fruit/hgic2217.html

The link above has info on the many different diseases tomatoes get. It also has tables of disease resistant tomatoes near the bottom of the page.

Rodney

Everyone gave good advice. I will add that I pick off all the leaves and branches as the plants grow, to 18" above the ground to help prevent splashing of organisms onto the plant. I only use partly composted leaves and grass as mulch. Plants make it through the autumn this way with little disease.

Do not use paper products in your food garden as mulch. There are tons of chemicals in the paper manufacturing process. Look it up. (People will disagree, but paper is not a tree and is not natural. Neither are fabrics and carpets.)

Yes, there are many chemicals in the paper manufacturing process, but these chemicals are biologically benign. You can look up MSDS's for paper, and there is nothing hazardous, except perhaps cellulose dust that can aggravate allergies. So the hazardous part of paper is actually organic! You're already ingesting plenty of paper just by being around it. I don't use paper as mulch, just because it tends to blow away.

Picking off leaves and branches to improve ventilation and as diseases appear is a smart idea.

CHEMICALS USED IN PULP & PAPER MANUFACTURING AND COATING

Common NameChemical NameChemical FormulaUsed ForSpecific DensityOther CharacteristicsAgalite or TalcSilicate of MagnesiaMgO-32%, SiO2-62%It gives paper a greasy or soapy feel. and enables it to take a high finish.2.6 - 2.8A natural fibrous form of talc, gray in color.AKDAlkyl Ketene Dimer

Sizing

AlumSulfate of AluminaAl2(SO4)3.18H2OFor alkaline sizing along with Rosin1.62

AlbarineNatural Sulfate of LimeCaSO4.2H2O - 100%A calcium salt that is used for a variety of purposes including: building materials.2.4

Ammonium Zirconium Carbonate(AZC)Ammonium Zirconium CarbonateCH2O3NH3ZrUsed as in-solubilizer, crosslinker & hardener1.36AZC is a clear, usually colorless solution, having an odor of ammonia and a pH of approximately 9.5. As a carbonate, it will react with acids, and so should not be used in coating systems below pH 7. In storage, it is stable for up to six months.AnthraquinoneAnthraquinoneC14H8O2Added to white liquor (alkaline cooking liquor) to improve pulp yield and to increase the rate of delignification.1.44yellow crystalline powderAnti-Foam/Defoamer

To prevent foam (anti-foam) or to destroy it once it has formed (defoamer).

Surface active, but highly insoluble in water.AsbestineSilicate of MagnesiaMgO-32%, SiO2-62%It is used as a loading agent in paper manufacture, particularly for blotting papers and board.2.6 - 2.8A mineral compound of almost pure fibrous magnesium silicate, which possesses physical characteristics between those of talc and asbestos.APEAlkylphenol EthoxylatesCH3(CH2)n(C6H4) (OCH2CH2)m-OHUsed as cleaning agents or surfactants

ASAAlkenyl Succinic Anhydride

Sizing

Barium SulfateBarium SulfateBaSO4 - 100%Used as a pigment4.2-4.5White insoluble powder.BarytesBarium SulfateBaSO4 - 100%Used as filler4.2-4.5

Blanc FixeBarium SulfateBaSO4 - 100%Used as a base for watercolor pigments and as a filler in paper.4.2-4.5Powdered barium sulfateCaseinA milk phosphoprotein Binder or adhesive in coating formulation CMCCarboxy Methyl Cellulose

Sizing

Caustic Lye or Caustic Soda or LyeSodium HydroxideNaOHPulping and to maintain pH

Chalk (Precipitated)Precipitated Calcium CarbonateCaCO3 - 100%Filler particularly with acidic sizing coating pigment2.7-2.9High Brightness & OpacityChalk (French or Spanish)Silicate of Magnesia4MgO+5SiO2+H2O; MgO - 33%; SiO262%

2.6-2.9A soft white compact talcChina Clay, KaolinHydrated Silicate of AluminaAl2O3-40%; SiO2-46%; H2O-13%Filler, Coating2.4-2.7

Chlorine DioxideChlorine DioxideClO2In Pulp Bleaching2.86

Chlorine GasChlorineCl2In Pulp Bleaching and water treatment2.86

DolomiteCalcium Magnesium CarbonateCaMg(CO3)2Filler, Coating2.86

DTPADiethylene Triamine Penta Acetate

Used for chelation (removal of transition metals from pulp).

EDTAEthylene Diamine Tetra acetic Acid

Used for chelation (removal of transition metals from pulp).

Guar GumNatural Polymer

Dry Strength Additive

cationic derivativeGypsum or Mineral White or PlasterNatural Sulfate of LimeCaSO4.2H2OGypsum board,2.4

Hydrogen PeroxideHydrogen PeroxideH2O2In Pulp Bleaching3.13-3.4

LimeCalcium OxideCaOAlkaline Pulping Process Chemical Recovery, Bleaching3.13-3.4

Lime StoneCalcium CarbonateCaCO3To make Lime Precipitated CaCO3 is used as Filler and in Coating

MagnesiteMagnesium CarbonateMgCO3 -100%

2.5

OxygenOxygenO2In Pulp Bleaching

OzoneOzoneO3In Pulp Bleaching

RosinAbietic AcidC19H29COOHSizing

Rosin SoapSodium AbietateC19H29COONaSizing

Salt CakeSodium SulfateNa2SO4. 10H2OMakeup chemical in sulfate pulping chemical recovery (Na2SO4. --- Na2S)2.4

Soda AshSodium CarbonateNa2CO3Makeup chemical in alkaline pulping chemical recovery (Na2CO3 +Ca(OH)2 ---2NaOH+CaCO3)2.43-2.51

Sodium DithioniteSodium HydrosulfiteNa2 O4 S2Bleaching2.20White crystalline powder with weak sulforous odorSodium SilicateSodium SilicateNa2SiO3In waste paper deinking for wetting, peptization, ink dispersion, peroxide stabilization.

Starch.Comprised of glucose units linked together by oxygen bridges called glycosidesWet and dry end additive

SulfurSulfurSTo make HSO3 for bi-sulfite pulping

TitaniaTitanium DioxideTiO2Filler to increase the opacity and brightness of paper. Used in coating also.3.84-4.26

WOW! It sounds as if we are lucky to still be alive just from reading the morning paper not to mention using it in the gardens.

Makes me wonder what the source was and the private agenda was of the source that accumulated all that claimed data on CHEMICALS USED IN PULP & PAPER MANUFACTURING AND COATING? Did they include data on which of each of these "chemicals" are actually natural components and NOT synthetic chemicals, on how much of any of them was actually used; what % of the mix they are, how much of any of these "chemicals" are actually absorbed by the plants or how much of these "chemicals" are naturally found in nature anyway?

If it is truly this bad stuff I wonder why ORMI has never banned the use of paper in certified organic gardening?

Dave

I copied the chart off of a pulp/paper manufacturer's website a few years ago and saved it just for this purpose.

Those all all CHEMICALS. Ick! Scary, complicated names! Yes, to many, the word CHEMICAL is a fearsome one. But these are all benign chemicals. In fact, several of them are used as medicines. You would be horrified at what human bodies are made of. Lots of things that are toxic. Stay away from people!

Well this sure got off topic rather quickly.....

Rodney

The topic was what to do to prevent a problem. The problem seems to be partly preserving tomatoes, and partly preserving kids. It is smart to be wary of what you might apply to plants, but there is a load of information about what substances are actually harmful and what are not.