Fresh tomato lovers cope with leaf spot and blights

Just at its peak, the cherished tomato plant often begins to sag.It wilts rapidly from a lush, productive bush into a yellow-leafedshadow of its former self.

Several afflictions can damage tomato vines severely enough atthis time of year to reduce or even halt tomato production. Twoblights and a leaf spot named septoria are the three most damaging.

Early blight has concentric rings, each a half-inch to one-inchin diameter, despoiling foliage and fruit.

Late blight is less common but still a risk. It hits in Augustwith gray and brown splotches on the leaves. One method ofidentifying the disease is to pick a suspicious leaf. All blightsand leaf spots …