Black Speck.....I would be grateful for any help

flounder · July 6, 2006

I suspected this disease a while back but from what I have read, there isn't much I could do to treat it anyway.
The last few days I have noticed that the largest tomatoes on the plants are getting pockmarked with the black speck. I suspect some seed I purchased must have been infected. Overall my plants are growing well and have set a lot of fruit.
My questions are many:
1. Should I be removing the tomatoes that are full of the speck?
2. I know it will affect the appearance of the tomatoes, but will it affect their taste?
3. I have read that the bacteria does best when it is cool and wet. We have entered a period of hot dry weather here, can I expect the disease to taper off?
4. Will I be plagued with this disease in future years? (I am on a three year rotation now and I remove most crop residue at the end of the season.)
5. Is there something I should treat my wire cages with at the end of the season.
Thank you ahead of time for any help you can give me.
I'm just a little bummed out right now.
Art

flounder · July 7, 2006

Thank-you very much for the useful information.
Art

July 6, 2006	#1
flounder Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Zone 4 Minnesota Posts: 7	Black Speck.....I would be grateful for any help I suspected this disease a while back but from what I have read, there isn't much I could do to treat it anyway. The last few days I have noticed that the largest tomatoes on the plants are getting pockmarked with the black speck. I suspect some seed I purchased must have been infected. Overall my plants are growing well and have set a lot of fruit. My questions are many: 1. Should I be removing the tomatoes that are full of the speck? 2. I know it will affect the appearance of the tomatoes, but will it affect their taste? 3. I have read that the bacteria does best when it is cool and wet. We have entered a period of hot dry weather here, can I expect the disease to taper off? 4. Will I be plagued with this disease in future years? (I am on a three year rotation now and I remove most crop residue at the end of the season.) 5. Is there something I should treat my wire cages with at the end of the season. Thank you ahead of time for any help you can give me. I'm just a little bummed out right now. Art

July 7, 2006	#2
flounder Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Zone 4 Minnesota Posts: 7	Thank-you very much for the useful information. Art