Something Terrible has Happend......

[ehenry]

I got home from work yesterday and started through my normal routine, which is changing clothes and heading to the garden to gaze upon it, tie tomatoes, look for varmints and pull weeds. The something terrible is......18 of my tomatoe plants are dieing ! ! ! ! There aren't any bugs, worms or spider mites on them. I pulled one up looking for nematodes and there were none. <br /><br />This was shaping up to be the best tomatoe crop I've ever had. Theres probably a bushel basket or more of green ones on the vines. My daddy came and said it was the strangest thing he's ever seen. He's going to get his brother to come look at them this weekend, he's an agronomist.<br /><br />I've no idea whats killing them. Unless its some sort of fungus or virus that I can't identify I dont know what to do. I've even said prayers over them. Hope that works.

 

[DJ]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

Heat?<br /><br />The tomatoes in AZ are done now.

 

[jinx]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

Anyone smoke in your garden? There have been cases of plant diseases being transmitted by tobacco. Not as common as in years past now that fusarium wilt and other diseases are controlled by resistant plant varieties. Are you planting a modern variety or an heirloom?<br /><br />Just a few thoughts, though unlikely.<br /><br />Jinx

 

[K Hultgre]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

I finally planted some before Memorial weekend (quit raining). They're about 4" tall right now. Worst part is I'll have to wait until the end of August before tasting.

 

[ehenry]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

Jinx, thats whats so strange. The variety thats dieing is the Better Boy variety. They're rsistant to the things that you mentioned. I also have an heirloom variety which is Marion. They're doing fine standing strong and looking good. <br /><br />On the Better Boy's its the top young leaves, stems and blooms that are wilting and the stems are curling under almost making a complete circle. I've never seen anything like it. Unless these plants had something from the nursery...they all came from the same flat.

 

[JustMrWill]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

We planted dogwoods a fe year back..and we finally fund out why they weren't blooming and we lost one...<br /><br />some worm was eating them..very small...but the taletale sign was the leaves curled up...worm burrowed inside leaf. Wife and I looked at these trees dozens of times and never saw the worm. A spray pesticide and 24 hour later they look 10x better...even got some blooms last week. <br /><br />Anybody at the place you purchased plants knowledgable? Maybe take a sample to them?<br /><br />-JustMrWill

 

[eeboater]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

Isn't there a tomato guy on iboats? I've seen him floating around. I wonder if he knows anything...<br /><br />Sean

 

[ehenry]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

I dont know what it is. They were fine one afternoon and the next they were drooppy and dieing. Better Boys are certified VFN resistant.<br /><br />VFN = Virus, Fungus and Nematode.

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

You should've been more careful when talking to your plants, they found out that you were going to eat their tomatos

 

[jinx]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

Did you give them any top dressings? You can burn them if you're not careful, but you sound like you know what you're doing.<br /><br />Jinx

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

Originally posted by eeboater:<br /> Isn't there a tomato guy on iboats? I've seen him floating around. I wonder if he knows anything...<br /><br />Sean

Yeah! Tomato lord or something like that.

 

[fireman57]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

If you have had a lot of rain like we have then they could literally be drowning. The water in the soil does not allow for air to get to the roots. Take a spade and loosen the dirt about a foot around each plant and wait for a couple days. Tomatos like even water. Try mulching the snot out of them until the weather breaks.

 

[ehenry]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

we've had about 5 inches last weekend but my other tomatos in the same garden on the same row look fine. I have a water furrow around the high end of the garden to run the water coming from the top on hill in another direction. If i dont do that water would stand in the middles of all the rows.<br /><br />The only thing I've sprayed on the tomatos was a mixture of Malathion 1.5 tsp to the gallon. Mixed according to the lable. Have been using the same mix since these plants were shin high. They're hip and chest high now.....well atleast they were.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

Hey efhenry,get your self to the county extention office and file for a crop failure subsitiy.I seen that a congressman or senate member did and got away with it.some years back.<br /><br />ken

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

It could be blight. Are there brown spots near the stems of the green tomatoes? Blight usually dont happen overnight. It is a slow process

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

You didn't accidentally hit them with a spot of Round-Up did you.??<br />Take a leaf and maybe bit of stem to your local Agriculture Chemical Supplier. They should have an Agronomist working there and he should be able to identify your problem quickly.<br />Cheers<br />Phillip

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Something Terrible has Happend......

You didn't accidentally hit them with a spot of Round-Up did you.??<br />Take a leaf and maybe bit of stem to your local Agriculture Chemical Supplier. They should have an Agronomist working there and he should be able to identify your problem quickly.<br />Cheers<br />Phillip