Brown Spots on Tomato Shoulders: Fungal Disease Management

The Symptom

Dime-sized brown spots appear around the stem end of ripening tomatoes in Atlanta, quickly rotting. Not from bruising.

Likely Diseases

• Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.)—sunken, circular spots with pinkish spores in wet weather.
• Early blight (Alternaria solani)—concentric rings, often on lower fruit first.
• Fusarium/Verticillium wilt—systemic, but can cause fruit lesions.

Immediate Action

• Spray copper-based fungicide (organic-approved) every 7–10 days.
• Remove and destroy affected fruit.
• Mulch to prevent soil splash.

Long-Term Strategy

1. Rotate crops—no tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes in that bed for 3 years.
2. Plant resistant hybrids: ‘Big Beef’, ‘Park’s Whopper’, ‘Better Boy’, ‘Celebrity’ (look for VFFNTA codes).
3. Improve soil with compost, peat, aged manure.
4. Water at base (soaker hose), not overhead.