Tomatoes
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Cabinetman
Established Member
My expert, Pam, says it’s probably root rot from being overwatered and probably not enough sun to dry out the soil.
Sorry Ian
Sorry Ian
thanks Ian. If relevant, I am using a ring culture system, with a depth of about 6" of soil in a 8" diameter bottomless pot, and then into a 12" deep bed of gravel below. it should be very well/perfectly drained. I was a bit greedy though and probably shoved in an extra plant than I should have.
first year of trying though, so could be anything. stem rot or root rot looks more likely than any of the various other diseases, viruses and issues that I have seen online.
thank Pam for me!
first year of trying though, so could be anything. stem rot or root rot looks more likely than any of the various other diseases, viruses and issues that I have seen online.
thank Pam for me!
Tris
What am I doing here?
Looking at the stem lesions and fruit spotting I would think it is early blight.
Richard_C
Established Member
I'm with Tris, above. Look at the blackening in the leaf joint.
If it is blight it can rip through the crop in 24-48 hours, sorry to be a pessimist.
If it is blight, there is little you can do. Remove diseased parts as soon as you can, right back beyond the affected parts. Fastidious hygiene might help, wash secateurs and hands when you go from plant to plant. That applies for any fungal or viral disease.
Blight happens, airborne spores and high humidity in some years increases the chance. If you do lose some plants and want to try again next year, look carefully at varieties. Some F1 hybrids are advertised as blight resistant. Seeds cost a bit more, but when you add up values of compost, fertiliser and time spending a bit more on seed isn't a big thing.
I hope it's not blight, but fear that it is. Some of my plants are showing signs, started yesterday, the 3 F1 hybrids might be OK but I think I will lose 4 of the 7 plants I have.
The way it looks today, I will be pleased if I have any by the end of the month.
If it is blight it can rip through the crop in 24-48 hours, sorry to be a pessimist.
If it is blight, there is little you can do. Remove diseased parts as soon as you can, right back beyond the affected parts. Fastidious hygiene might help, wash secateurs and hands when you go from plant to plant. That applies for any fungal or viral disease.
Blight happens, airborne spores and high humidity in some years increases the chance. If you do lose some plants and want to try again next year, look carefully at varieties. Some F1 hybrids are advertised as blight resistant. Seeds cost a bit more, but when you add up values of compost, fertiliser and time spending a bit more on seed isn't a big thing.
I hope it's not blight, but fear that it is. Some of my plants are showing signs, started yesterday, the 3 F1 hybrids might be OK but I think I will lose 4 of the 7 plants I have.
The way it looks today, I will be pleased if I have any by the end of the month.
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Luckily I'm an expert on all things home grown. Boil 'em, bake 'em, put 'em in a stew. Lovely things.
Luckily I'm an expert on all things home grown. Boil 'em, bake 'em, put 'em in a stew. Lovely things.
My guess is that it's blight. I had a bit of it late last year but still got a good crop. This year all the plants affected (about 30 plants) and got about 10 tomatoes before they went bad.
All the plants went on the bonfire yesterday to help stop it from getting in the soil, but guess I won't be growing tomatoes next year to give the soil a better chance of getting ride of the spores.
All the plants went on the bonfire yesterday to help stop it from getting in the soil, but guess I won't be growing tomatoes next year to give the soil a better chance of getting ride of the spores.
clogs
just can't decide
we start planting tom seedlings in March.....in the open.....
will get a small cold frame going to start our own seedlings off....some strange colour/shaped toms here but so tasty.....
now the first batch are nearly over, no problem with damp here.....
extreme dryness....have an agri watering system in place, one tap does it all, but needs watering min 3 times per day.....plus a wet down on really hot days.....
thinking next year to use a shade screen netting....like the locals....
bought toms are just not as tasty as home grown....
Marcros
when living in the UK with no prop garden I just used a grow bag with two plants in each....
will get a small cold frame going to start our own seedlings off....some strange colour/shaped toms here but so tasty.....
now the first batch are nearly over, no problem with damp here.....
extreme dryness....have an agri watering system in place, one tap does it all, but needs watering min 3 times per day.....plus a wet down on really hot days.....
thinking next year to use a shade screen netting....like the locals....
bought toms are just not as tasty as home grown....
Marcros
when living in the UK with no prop garden I just used a grow bag with two plants in each....
Keith 66
Established Member
We had blight a few years ago, this year so far we seem to have escaped it. Instead we have poxy spider mites.
Started getting them on late season chilli plants indoors a couple of years ago, this year the little gits are attacking everything even outside, tomatoes & french beans have got them, oregano's got them, laksa leaf i have been propagating has them too.
I have tried everything, chemical warfare is innefectual, only thing that seems to have any effect is neem oil but its hardly practical to do the whole garden.
Turns out that both neighbours have had them for years so im stuck with the poxy things.
Started getting them on late season chilli plants indoors a couple of years ago, this year the little gits are attacking everything even outside, tomatoes & french beans have got them, oregano's got them, laksa leaf i have been propagating has them too.
I have tried everything, chemical warfare is innefectual, only thing that seems to have any effect is neem oil but its hardly practical to do the whole garden.
Turns out that both neighbours have had them for years so im stuck with the poxy things.
I worked in the plant biotech industry for many years, doing research on plant breeding and often working with tomatoes. The lesions on the stem suggest the fungal infection botrytis but I've not seen it get so bad as to see such an effect on the fruit (we kept a close eye on our plants). Botrytis can be treated if its caught early (check the internet for commercially available treatments). Fruits on plants infected with the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus ( ToBRFV ) can end up looking like the ones you show. You'd better hope that it's not ToBRFV, this is a highly contagious and damaging disease.
Tips:
Start with a clean greenhouse (use bleach where appropriate... see warning below)
Sterilise tools and reusable items like pots and watering cans, gloves etc (your hands and tools are the usually the biggest spreaders of disease)
Check your plants regularly for signs of disease.
Treat infections early, destroy infected plants.
To sterilse tools, you can soak them in bleach for a few minutes or in hydrogen peroxide solution or trisodium phosphate solution. 3% solutions for half an hour should be fine. Trisodium phosphate will clean up your tools a treat. WARNING: wear eye protection and gloves. Dispose of used solutions immediately after use and don't let children anywhere near them. Both hydrogen peroxide and especially trisodium phosphate can cause blindness if they get in to your eyes. Immediately flush with lots of water (any water to hand) if they do get in to your eyes. (Have I scared you enough? Remember, these are nasty chemicals.)
Tips:
Start with a clean greenhouse (use bleach where appropriate... see warning below)
Sterilise tools and reusable items like pots and watering cans, gloves etc (your hands and tools are the usually the biggest spreaders of disease)
Check your plants regularly for signs of disease.
Treat infections early, destroy infected plants.
To sterilse tools, you can soak them in bleach for a few minutes or in hydrogen peroxide solution or trisodium phosphate solution. 3% solutions for half an hour should be fine. Trisodium phosphate will clean up your tools a treat. WARNING: wear eye protection and gloves. Dispose of used solutions immediately after use and don't let children anywhere near them. Both hydrogen peroxide and especially trisodium phosphate can cause blindness if they get in to your eyes. Immediately flush with lots of water (any water to hand) if they do get in to your eyes. (Have I scared you enough? Remember, these are nasty chemicals.)
pidgeonpost
Established Member
Sad to have to agree, looks like blight.
I've always bought tomato plants until this year when I decided to grow from seed after problems buying plants last year. Variety is 'Shirley', got 8 plants from 10 seeds, gave 4 away.
I grow 4 plants outdoors in an old wooden trough that came with the house. Every year I dig out all the old soil/compost and use new, with a generous layer of horse extract in the bottom. This doesn't necessarily stop blight, but at least any build-up in the soil is minimal.
I've always bought tomato plants until this year when I decided to grow from seed after problems buying plants last year. Variety is 'Shirley', got 8 plants from 10 seeds, gave 4 away.
I grow 4 plants outdoors in an old wooden trough that came with the house. Every year I dig out all the old soil/compost and use new, with a generous layer of horse extract in the bottom. This doesn't necessarily stop blight, but at least any build-up in the soil is minimal.
Indeed, it could be Phytophthora infestans (late blight disease). Treatment is to remove and destroy infected plants. Maintaining a clean greenhouse is key (no dead plant parts left laying around), sterilise old pots etc before reuse.
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
I grew mine in the ground - they don't take so much looking after. I found the best defence against blight to be to drown them top to bottom once every couple of weeks then let them dry out to point of their wilting and repeat. Perpetual dampness seems to encourage blight. A dozen or so tomatoes will split when watered again, but they can be chopped for use in cooking or frying. This doesn't work for grow bags, though.
Shirleys? I got a four and a half pound truss from one.
Shirleys? I got a four and a half pound truss from one.
Phil Russell
Established Member
That is late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans ... the fungus that caused the Irish potato famine. The stem lesions you see are very common now and are the stem blight phase of the disease. The disease is called late blight because it normally appears late in the season but does seem to be earlier this year. Leaf lesions are quite dark in colour often with a white fuzz on the underside. Leaf lesions can spread rapidly. Late blight does not cause leaf yellowing. Early blight, appearing in early season, caused by Alternaria solani, is a totally different beastie and usually not very common but I have heard of it being around this year.
Control: copper fungicide e.g. Bordeaux mixture is the only fungicide I know that you can buy. Other fungicides sold for garden use will not work. If you catch the symptoms early you can remove infected leaves and spray with the copper. This will gain time but will most likely not stop the disease completely if the weather turns damp and humid. If you get late blight on your potatoes, be sure to harvest every single tuber because blight will overwinter on infected tubers in the ground and pop up next year to infect your potatoes and tomatoes.
Cheers, Phil
Extra: Remove all excess foliage so as to allow as much air as possible to get through and around the plant. Blight needs high humidity so a drying air current will help control its spread. Let's hope for hot dry weather.
The stem lesions are stem blight, not Botrytis, which would be a more dark grey colour and most likely have a furry light brown coating of spores ... grey mould the same as gets your marrows and cucumbers. If you have Botrytis problems, and it is a very common pathogen, then one of the general fungicides containing e.g. triticonazole (often used for rose black spot) will help suppress it. But avoidance is the best policy... Botrytis cinerea (grey mould) generally thrives in cool moist weather.
Control: copper fungicide e.g. Bordeaux mixture is the only fungicide I know that you can buy. Other fungicides sold for garden use will not work. If you catch the symptoms early you can remove infected leaves and spray with the copper. This will gain time but will most likely not stop the disease completely if the weather turns damp and humid. If you get late blight on your potatoes, be sure to harvest every single tuber because blight will overwinter on infected tubers in the ground and pop up next year to infect your potatoes and tomatoes.
Cheers, Phil
Extra: Remove all excess foliage so as to allow as much air as possible to get through and around the plant. Blight needs high humidity so a drying air current will help control its spread. Let's hope for hot dry weather.
The stem lesions are stem blight, not Botrytis, which would be a more dark grey colour and most likely have a furry light brown coating of spores ... grey mould the same as gets your marrows and cucumbers. If you have Botrytis problems, and it is a very common pathogen, then one of the general fungicides containing e.g. triticonazole (often used for rose black spot) will help suppress it. But avoidance is the best policy... Botrytis cinerea (grey mould) generally thrives in cool moist weather.
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pe2dave
Established Member
For a woodwork group, there's an awful lot of 'secondary' knowledge around!
Went on holiday three weeks and the damn thing did all my tomatoes in the back garden, leaving 8 feet tall skeletons waiting for me.
The only good thing is that it does not seem to affect any other vegetable, but for potatoes.
It spreads with the wind I think, so all plants were affected, whether in pots or ring culture on soil. First time I am glad we have a detached garden, at least the beds in the front of the house were too far for it to get there.
Remove all affected trusses entirely, even if the top fruits seem unaffected, bag them and discard them, or burn them.
Make sure to sterilize the hell out of scissors and any other tools you might use.
Good luck, we had several very good summers for tomatoes over the last years, but this is definitely not one of them.
The only good thing is that it does not seem to affect any other vegetable, but for potatoes.
It spreads with the wind I think, so all plants were affected, whether in pots or ring culture on soil. First time I am glad we have a detached garden, at least the beds in the front of the house were too far for it to get there.
Remove all affected trusses entirely, even if the top fruits seem unaffected, bag them and discard them, or burn them.
Make sure to sterilize the hell out of scissors and any other tools you might use.
Good luck, we had several very good summers for tomatoes over the last years, but this is definitely not one of them.
Richard_C
Established Member
I think you can still buy it for winter use on fruit trees, but I don't think any copper fungicides are currently licenced for soft fruits or tomatoes. I'm not saying you can't or mustn't use it, but it's not approved any more. It had been used as you describe for years - a personal choice.
blight, bug damage or bacteria (the latter two make tomatoes filled with white dots under the skin, the former kills the whole stem and marks the tomatoes).
None of it is toxic to my knowledge, but certainly there is a fairly low limit in terms of appearance and flavor where you won't touch it.
Keeping bugs and water off of the plant leaves, and out of soil that's already known to be blighted from a prior year is a way to have less of it. Good luck with all of that. I prefer to grow the plants and just fert them pretty hard so they grow faster than the blight chases up them as it's a lot easier than moving the garden from one year to the next.
A crop share farm (CSA here in the states, where you pay to get a weekly share of vegetables) grows all of their tomatoes in containers under a greenhouse roof and waters them only below the plant level to avoid blight. They said they never found any other way as the blight can arrive even in the rain).
Comically, there are a lot of gardening sites in the US who claim "if you use only organic fertilizer, your garden will be balanced and you won't have any issues". hah.
None of it is toxic to my knowledge, but certainly there is a fairly low limit in terms of appearance and flavor where you won't touch it.
Keeping bugs and water off of the plant leaves, and out of soil that's already known to be blighted from a prior year is a way to have less of it. Good luck with all of that. I prefer to grow the plants and just fert them pretty hard so they grow faster than the blight chases up them as it's a lot easier than moving the garden from one year to the next.
A crop share farm (CSA here in the states, where you pay to get a weekly share of vegetables) grows all of their tomatoes in containers under a greenhouse roof and waters them only below the plant level to avoid blight. They said they never found any other way as the blight can arrive even in the rain).
Comically, there are a lot of gardening sites in the US who claim "if you use only organic fertilizer, your garden will be balanced and you won't have any issues". hah.
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