Tomato diseased ?

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Jack McHammocklashing, Aug 12, 2011.

  1. Jack McHammocklashing

    Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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    Help

    The tomato plant nearest the greenhouse door, one tomato on each truss, is rotting from the top down

    One tomato on EACH truss, the stalk is dead and haS a grey fur on it that stops in a ball over the flower, then the tomato itself is brown on the top to halfway down where it is green
    The leaves are all fine and rich in colour no yellow or brown

    Today temp 10c and over two days have had two months rainfall

    Jack McHammocklashing

    :cry3:It is isnt it, it is :cry3:
     
  2. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    Sounds like botrytis Jack, its due to high humidity and lowish temperatures.

    Sounds like November up there mate.

    You can spray a general purpose fungicide or just hope for dryer warmer weather.

    As much ventilation as possible will help.
     
  3. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    I agree with pete about it being Botrytis. I've been gradually losing the battle with it this year on my greenhouse tomatoes. I've lost two plants, the stems got the furry gray mould that ate through the stem and killed off the upper half. I have suffered with it in previous years but it was at the end of the season in September, this is the first year it's been with me over the summer. I'm reluctant to spray mine as long as they hang on for another month I'll be happy, all I'm doing is cutting off the affected parts and ventilating and being careful with watering.
     
  4. Dave W

    Dave W Total Gardener

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    You should move north across the Tay Jack, it's been a sweltering 14C here today!
    Does sound like botrytis as Pete and John have said. If you gently remove affected fruit and leaves (to avoid spreading spores) it should help reduce the spread. As suggested you can also use a fungicide or if you want to try a less toxic method use a 10% milk/water spray. Improving ventilation should also help.
     
  5. Jack McHammocklashing

    Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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    Yes guys you are right
    Now I know the name I googled and yes my strawberries in same position are exactly as the pics,, grey mould on strawbs and tomatoe flowers,

    Any recommended remedy in addition to removing affeted parts of the plants
    ie which fungiside RHS site says non available to the Public :-(

    Regards Jack McH
     
  6. Jack McHammocklashing

    Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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    Oh no Dave information too late
    I went about collecting the damaged goods with my right hand and placing them in my left hand then moved on to check the unaffected stock, moving them with my left hand which contained all the damaged stock, up and down each stem :cry3:

    I can not move to sunnier climes north of the Tay as A92 CLOSED due to flooding at Freuchie

    Jack McH
     
  7. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Well I've tried Bordeaux Mixture a few weeks ago to try and stop it, but it didn't work. Sorry I can't help Jack.
     
  8. Jack McHammocklashing

    Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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    I will try and get something tomorrow

    Regards Jack McH
     
  9. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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    Also, to give a bit more ventilation, remove the lower leaves on the plants (you can always remove any leaves below any truss of toms that is showing a it of colour) and thin out some of the upper ones.

    Always remember with dealing with any form of disease on plants to never touch any healthy ones until you have washed your hands/gloves and cleaned tools :dbgrtmb:.

    I have a number of cotton gardening gloves (about £1 per pair) that I wear in the garden as I am allergic to a number of things including tomato leaves. These sort of things are excellent for dealing with diseased plants.
     
  10. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    This is the kind of problem that could have been almost certainly sorted out by spaying with Benlate a few years ago.
    We have moved on since then, and not being well up on what is available these days I cant suggest anything other than ventilation that will help.

    Ventilation on a cold wet day is not going to do much.

    I think it was John that suggested cutting off parts of the plants that are affected.

    It just maybe that the idea off cutting all the leaves off your toms came about due to this problem.
     
  11. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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    pete, I'm sure that is one of the main reasons :dbgrtmb:

    The lower leaves aren't going to feed the trusses above and are the first ones to succumb to the problems. So cutting them off seems the natural thing to do. Thinning out any of the upper leaves that seem even a bit distressed laos seems logical and will let through more sunlight to ripen the toms quicker. also, with regular feeding of the plants they don't have to rely so much on the leaves.
     
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    • JWK

      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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      I've still got one or two sachets of Benlate left, shame you can't get it anymore as it will sort out Botrytis. I also found I had some Yellow Sulpher dust. I gave the affected part of my tomato plants a dusting rather than waste my precious Benlate, I don't know if Yellow Sulpher will cure it but will let you know in a couple of days. :thumbsup:


      My problem this year has been caused by me packing in too many plants. I am growing twice as many as I planned and they are too overcrowded, that has contributed to the high humidity and poor ventilation.
       
    • Jack McHammocklashing

      Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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      Well, I searched the whole of FIFE yesteday, Homebase and asdas, garden centres, no fungisides kept, never heard of bordeaux mixture,
      So I drove another 15 miles to Dobbies GC they had bordeaux mixture and a BAYER
      BD £3 BAYER £7 the garden expert insisted on the BAYER, so I bought both and used the Bordeaux Mixture

      Now ANYONE for BLUE tomatoes (well Green with Blue POLKA DOTS :-)

      Jack McH
       
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      • JWK

        JWK Gardener Staff Member

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        Good luck with it Jack, give the toms a good wash before eating (obviously!) the Bordeaux mixture splashes come off fairly easily.
         
      • pete

        pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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        Well it will keep blight away as well Jack:dbgrtmb:

        I hate suphur, it stinks John:)
         
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