| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| aunt boby |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 07:14:47 AM
I need help!! Every season my tomato plants start out so big and healthy. Then when they are starting to blossom they start getting blight at the bottom and start dieing off. I have moved the location of planting them several times. I'm sure my soil must be lacking something, but what?
POOR IS THE MAN WHO CANNOT ENJOY THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE- anonymous |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| aunt boby |
Posted - Jul 20 2009 : 10:51:48 AM
Thanks for all your ideas. Have trimmed off all the branches that have signs of it. Last year I planted Romas and this season Big Boys with the same effect. I will surely give the Copper a try and see if I can keep it at bay. Will make a note of the heirlooms, Diane. Maybe next season I can lick the problem.
POOR IS THE MAN WHO CANNOT ENJOY THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE- anonymous |
| Room To Grow |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 4:56:43 PM
My tomatoes are not turning black. But my plants are looking like they are they are just getting smaller...the tomatoesare doing fine.
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
| DaisyFarm |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 4:48:05 PM
Marjorie try calcium instead of lime for your blossom end-rot. That should take care of it.
Heather is right, copper spray will help in the prevention of blight. But it will only help prevent it and once the blight has taken hold, it will not stop the spread of it. Copper is also persistent in the soil, so maybe go easy with it.
Experiment with different varieties of tomatoes to see what shows the best resistance in your area. Here, the Big Beef hybrid seems to be the best I've grown so far for resistance and Early Girl is not too bad either. Celebrity and Viva Italia were writeoffs before they even bloomed! The Black Krim, Carbon and Siletz heirlooms seem to have some resistance as well. This year I'm "trialing" an heirloom called Pollack which seems to be doing okay so far.
Be very vigilant in keeping your tomatoes well-pruned to keep good air flow and cut off all bottom leaves if they even show the slightest sign of not being right. Also, don't compost tomato leaves or plants, healthy or not, in your regular compost that will go on your garden. It's even a good idea to regularly disinfect your clippers.
Blight is a devil of a problem here with our high humidity and a garden just isn't a garden without tomatoes!!
Di on VI
Farmgirl Sister #73 |
| Merry |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 3:57:26 PM
Its blight, I get it too. Just read in interesting bit.... More on the spreading tomato blight impacting gardeners, tomato farmers, farmers markets, your table: http://bit.ly/D7o1q
Merry
Farmgirl #536
http://afarminmyheart.blogspot.com/
"Nobody has ever measured, not even poets how much the heart can hold."
Zelda Fitzgerald |
| AuntieM |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 11:02:49 AM
Sorry, my mistake! I thought you were talking about the actual fruit turning black - but I realize you meant the plant. We've never had that problem so I don't know where it comes from. Do you pinch off the suckers? Maybe the plant gets too thick and creates an environment for the problem? |
| AuntieM |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 11:00:39 AM
It sounds like blossom end rot - we get it every year, because I always forget about it, or hope it won't happen! We side-dress with lime generously, pick off and discard the affected fruit, and the rest of the crop is always fine. We've had the same problem (and the same cure) in two different state, so when I see that familiar black spot, I'm pretty confident that that's what it is. Good luck! |
| quiltin mama |
Posted - Jul 19 2009 : 10:18:06 AM
I think I read that you can prevent blight by using a copper sulfate spray on your tomoato plants.
We have the same problem come September. All of our plants turn that blacky yellowy yucky color. I pick all of our tomatos- even if they're green, before that sets in.
You can visit my blog at www.mountainhomequilts.blogspot.com |
