Why do tomatoes rot in the greenhouse?

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As a rule, having planted tomatoes in a greenhouse, gardeners are confident that they will receive a better and more abundant harvest than in the open field. Their hopes are not always justified. It also happens that plants for no apparent reason begin to dry, stop growing and wither. Why do tomatoes rot in the greenhouse?

Causes of rotting tomatoes in the greenhouse

There are many reasons that can lead to the fact that tomatoes planted in a greenhouse will wither and hurt. This can be either the use of contaminated soil when planting seedlings, a violation of the irrigation regime and non-observance of moisture parameters, as well as poor processing of the greenhouse after harvesting, or the use of low-quality seeds. Disease is often the main cause of tomato rot. Depending on the type of pathogen, diseases can be fungal, viral, bacterial and caused by the activity of insects. Let's take a closer look at why tomatoes rot massively in the greenhouse.

Fungal diseases

The most common diseases in this group include anthracnose, late blight, gray and brown rot.

1. Anthracnose. A disease that attacks a plant and causes it to rot. May appear on leaves, stem, tip and fruit. At first, the disease looks like small dots that expand over time and capture almost the entire mass of the fetus. Because of this fungus, the leaves wilt and fall off, and the tomatoes turn black and deteriorate. Anthracnose is predictable: sometimes it does not manifest itself in any way until it is time to harvest. It is possible to detect the disease only by plucking the fetus. It will not be possible to save the infected plant.
2. Late blight. One of the most common diseases that causes rot on tomatoes in the greenhouse. Often the cause of the development of the disease is a violation of the greenhouse regime. Due to temperature fluctuations, the fungus begins to actively develop. Late blight affects the ground part of the plant. Dark spots appear on the tomato - necrosis.
3. Gray rot. This fungus affects both the stems, shoots and stalks of seedlings, and the fruit. The first symptoms of the disease are in the form of small gray nodes, which are actively developing within a short time, affecting the fetus more and more. Gray rot is dangerous due to its ability to easily spread to other vegetable crops, also planted in the greenhouse.
4. Brown rot. The second name of the disease is phomosis. First of all, it affects the part of the tomato located near the stalk. Due to the fact that the speck of the fungus looks invisible, it is easy to miss it, mistaking the plant for healthy, but inside the fruit completely rotts. Moreover, the disease affects both green and red fruits.

Bacterial diseases

Lack of useful trace elements, violation of the temperature regime and high humidity lead to the fact that pathogenic bacteria start on tomatoes, causing rotting in fruits.

1. Top rot.This disease occurs on tomatoes that are grown only in greenhouses. It is characterized by the rapid spread and defeat of a large amount of the crop. At first, the disease looks like a small spot, gradually acquiring a brown color and becoming watery. The fruit starts to rot and falls off. The disease is caused by pathogenic microorganisms.
2. Bacterial cancer. The whole bush is affected. Growths appear on the stem, and the fruits are covered with light spots, which are also called "bird's eye". This disease spoils the taste of tomatoes and their appearance. The danger lies in the fact that pathogenic bacteria can persist in the seeds of tomatoes and in the soil, so the bacteria can begin to develop in new seedlings.

Viral diseases

Insects can carry the virus

The causative agent of this type of disease is a virus that is transmitted to tomatoes by insects or from infected plants.

1. Aspermia. This disease does not allow the tomato bush to grow normally and gain strength, causing the appearance of empty and hollow shoots. The leaves become mottled, then turn yellow and shrink. Tomato fruits become small and underdeveloped. The whole plant looks emaciated and sick.
2. Mosaic. The virus deforms the leaves of tomato bushes, which is why they become covered with dark green spots, and the fruit does not ripen. The disease can kill most of the crop. Tomato mosaic is dangerous in that this virus is resistant to the effects of various temperatures, due to which it persists for a long time in the plant and in the soil.

Insect activity

What to do if pests appear? Insects that parasitize tomatoes can also cause the development of various diseases that can lead to the death of the plant.

Melon aphids and rusty mites are very dangerous for tomato bushes. They live and feed on the plant. This leads to the fact that the leaves and tops of tomatoes turn yellow, their fruits stop growing and turn black.

Action on detection of rot

If the seedlings in the greenhouse have been exposed to the disease, the disease should not be allowed to spread. The main assistant of the gardener in this case are medicinal preparations of a wide spectrum of action "Ridomil", "Skor" and "Zaslon". When using these tools, the following points must be considered:

1. Bushes of plants are processed three times, every 2 weeks: the first time immediately after picking, the second and third - 20 days before the fruit is fully ripe.
2. When the tomatoes are ripe, they can be sprayed with a not very concentrated, at the rate of 1 g per 5 liters of water, with a solution of potassium permanganate: at least 0.5 liters of such a solution must be poured under each bush
3. If young sprouts get sick in the greenhouse, it is better to get rid of them immediately, otherwise the disease will strike other seedlings with lightning speed.

What to do if tomatoes are attacked by harmful insects and how to deal with them? In this case, such drugs as Barrier, Chisty Sad, Karbofos and Bi-58 will become the first assistants. They must be diluted, strictly following the instructions, and the plant must be completely processed.

Garlic infusion also gives a good result in the fight against insects, while only natural products are used. Making it at home is easy. It is necessary to chop 250 g of garlic, and then pour 10 liters of water over it. The solution is infused for a week. Before spraying, it can be diluted with water in a 1: 3 ratio.

Disease prevention

To keep the harvest intact, it is necessary to carefully monitor the seedlings and prevent the development of diseases that can lead to the fact that the tomatoes begin to rot and disappear. To do this, use basic tips for caring for plants.

1. After harvesting, it is necessary to disinfect and feed the soil.
2. The seeds to be used for planting should be selected from healthy and fully ripe fruits: if stored in a cold room, they should be warmed.A month before planting, they take out the bags and warm them well on a warm battery for several days.
3. The seeds need to be disinfected: in order to get rid of harmful bacteria, they are treated with a 1% manganese solution, after which they must be dried.
4. After sprouting seedlings, pick the sprouts.
5. Having planted seedlings, observe the required temperature and humidity conditions in the greenhouse.
6. When growing hybrid varieties of tomatoes, seeds are best purchased in specialized stores.
7. Tomatoes should not be grown in the same area for more than three years in a row.

After planting seedlings in a greenhouse, it is important to observe the seedlings. Tomatoes always signal a deteriorating health condition. If you show efficiency and react in time, you can avoid the development of the disease in tomatoes, and they will certainly delight you with a wonderful harvest.