Brown Spots in Tomato
Tomatoes are the most popular home-grown vegetable, producing fruit from small cherry types to large beefsteaks
Tomato care requirements
These care conditions are most relevant to brown spots in Tomato. Check each one as a potential cause.
Symptoms to look for in Tomato
Brown or dark spots on leaves, often with concentric rings (like a target) if early blight, or angular water-soaked spots if bacterial in origin, typically starting on lower leaves.
Common causes in Tomato
Warm, humid conditions with wet foliage favour the fungal pathogens behind most tomato leaf spotting — overhead watering and poor airflow between plants are the most common contributing factors.
How to diagnose brown spots in Tomato
Sunburn: bleached patches facing light source. Fungal: brown spots with rings. Bacterial: water-soaked spots turning brown.
How to treat brown spots in Tomato
Remove and destroy affected leaves promptly, improve airflow by pruning lower leaves and suckers, and apply a fungicide labelled for tomato leaf spot diseases if spreading.
Preventing brown spots in Tomato
Water at the soil level rather than overhead, space plants well for airflow, and mulch around the base to prevent soil splashing onto lower leaves.