Oh No Me Toms!

[itsgrowinglook]

Some of my tomato leaves are going funny. Please can anyone tell me what is wrong with them. Its only a very few leaves and the rest of the plants are very healthy and still producting ickle toms. Thanks very much!
Andii

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Andii, that just looks like scorch and nothing to worry about. It's important when watering not to get the leaves wet because when the sun hits the leaves the droplets of water act like a magnifying glass.

[itsgrowinglook]

Phew, thank goodness for that. Yesterday it rained and then the sun came out for about 10 minutes and it was very hot. So that must have been the culprit, I always water at the bottom. Thanks Lesley, I was getting paranoid about blight after reading some other posts. Honestly I am like a mother hen with these veggies
Andii

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Andii, absolutely no need to worry!! With tomato blight you get black / brown marks on the leaves along with black / brown areas on the stems and also brown areas on the fruit. Blight is dreadful, it strikes and starts to rot the plant so quickly that there is no mistaking it.

There's nothing wrong with being like a mother hen looking after your veggies!

[itsgrowinglook]

3 of my tomato plants are looking very sorry for themselves and I am very, very sad.
Can anyone tell me if they are going to be ok or if they are done for? They are all still producing new shoots, flowers and teeny toms.
Thank you.
Andii

[Mrs Dobby]

Looks like blight to me Andii, best remove and burn the affected leaves, or if bad, then remove and burn the whole plant, otherwise it will spread to other plants nearby!

[Jo_yful]

The last 3 pics definately look like Blight to me too. As Mrs Dobby has already suggested, the whole plant will need to be burnt to stop the virus spores spreading to any of your other toms or potatoes. If you have potatoes growing in pots nearby, keep an eye on the leaves and stems. Dont reuse the soil the infected plants have been grown in either as the blights spores could lay dormant in there and ruin your next growth of crops.
So sorry

B.t.w, pick as many toms that are ready as you can as your plants look in early stage so they will still be ok to eat, but keep them away from the other plants.

[itsgrowinglook]

Many thanks Mrs Dobby and Jo yful. I thought it might be but just needed confirmation. Its a very sad day.

[itsgrowinglook]

Been out in the pouring rain. Pruned and moved 3 of the plants away from all others. One was completely done for. I will keep a beedy eye on the remaining plants. I harvested about 2 and a half pounds of toms! Now need a recipe for green tomato chutney. At least I managed to get some toms. But quite upset about it all

[Jo_yful]

Don't let it put you off growing tomatoes next year, no 2 growing years are the same. Due the the horribly wet and muggy weather we've had this summer lots of people have been complaining about their toms suffering blight.

I thought some of my potatoes on the allotment were showing signs of it at the weekend and almost started sobbing on the spot... but luckily it was severe scorch after a certain 5 years old child of mine decided to 'help' watering during the week.
My pumpkin plant has also suffered sever scorch too thanks to the same watering session and I'm gutted. I'm just hoping the 3 pumpkins that are on there survive to turn orange.

Hope the rest of your toms manage to avoid the blight virus, Jo x

[itsgrowinglook]

I hope your pumpkins are ok. I only have the one and its in the front garden! At least your 5 year old helps my 15 year old won't even go near any gardening.

I must admit I did shed a tear for my toms and then felt a bit daft. I won't be put off for next year and hopefully it wont be as wet.

Andrea x

[itsgrowinglook]

Today is more bad news. Lost another 5 toms to blight. Only 3 remaining plants. And not too sure if it has spread to my potatoes.

[itsgrowinglook]

More bad news. The blight has spead to my potatoes. Dont want to play anymore. I am taking my ball in and sulking!
Also some critter has half eaten my baby pumpkin. And its raining again.

[Mrs Dobby]

If you're not adverse to using chemicals, then you can treat them with Brodeaux solution (copper sulphate), it has to be liberally applied, and done every 2 weeks, but it can help keep the blight under control / prevent it. Personally this late in the growing year I'd let your spuds go on for a bit, then cut the haulms off, leave a week then harvest the spuds. The toms, remove as much blighted leaves as possible, save any decent fruit and ripen in windowsill!

[Thomas W]

Originally Posted by Jo_yful

... Due the the horribly wet and muggy weather we've had this summer lots of people have been complaining about their toms suffering blight. ...

Argh. That would be me. It really is awful, such a waste

Originally Posted by itsgrowinglook

... The blight has spead to my potatoes. Dont want to play anymore. ...

I know exactly how you feel. I have removed all of the foliage from my potatoes hoping that the tubers will be okay in the ground. I haven't got room for storage above the ground.

[itsgrowinglook]

Thanks for the advice Mrs Dobby. I will set about the task tomorrow.

Thomas I hope your potatoes will be ok. It really is heartbreaking after all the nurturing and watching and waiting.

Anyway not sulking anymore. Onwards and upwards!

Andii

[vegnovice10]

Just went to pick some tomatoes from greenhouse and decided to trim a few leaves so they will ripen. Horror of horrors found some discoloured leaves at the back. I cut them off, not all together in one place, and attach photo. The stems seem ok apart from few nodules, see other photo.

It has been very cold here for time of year lately tho have had quite a lot of rain, mainly in heavy outbursts. It's not been hot and muggy, far from it, we've all gone back to winter clothes, duvets etc. I live in North Yorkshire.

I'm very worried about it so please advise me. I've also put the leaves in the green council bin as I thought at first it was just normal die back but having read this post am now wondering. I have no facilities for burning anything so what do i need to do. I have 4 tomato plants and 2 cucumbers next to them in the greenhouse, spuds are mostly in front garden tho have a bag with some in in back. They were late going in, 5 June, so won't be ready yet, are desiree.

thanks

[vegnovice10]

2 photos here to go with previous post.

[itsgrowinglook]

Hi Vegnovice

As this is my first year I don't feel qualified to give advice but can only tell you what I have read or been told.

In your first photo my toms started going yellow but I dont know if its blight or scorch (I have a lot to learn! ). My tomato leaves started turning brown and it went down to the stem.

I don't have anywhere to burn my leaves either so I put them in a black bin bag, with another black bin bag over that and put it in the normal household waste bin.

I'm sure someone else will come along and advice you on your toms. Good luck. And if it is blight dont be put off for next year.

Andii

[Shetty]

I think your toms are ok. The yellow leaves look like some kind of eficiency (I think Magnesium, but we better get that confirmed by someone more knowledgeable ) My toms sometimes get this nodules. But usually more towards the soil, they turn into roots. The brown spot on one of the leaves looks like scorching to me, so all in all nothing to worry about