Sunny, I looked at your other thread below and I don't see any indication at all that your plants have Fusarium.

Fusarium can't be diagnosed in seedlings just by wilty leaves and Fusarium is also a disease found in real soil and transmitted to plants with that kind of exposure.

Fusarium , even when and if it's found in the soil would be exceeedlingly rare in coastal CT.

I think that the diagnoses made by others in that thread were spot on in giving you good advice.

Carolyn

Well, that gives me hope then :) I didnt toss ALL of my starts , just the ones that were wilty or dead looking...so now I can keep my fingers crossed that the healthy ones remain healthy looking!

So then there is no way that the seed could have already been affected even before I planted it? Or that some of the left over potting mix that was out side all Winter before I brought it in to use could have been infected either?

I just dont want to make the same mistakes next season...or ever again LOL!

So then there is no way that the seed could have already been affected even before I planted it? Or that some of the left over potting mix that was out side all Winter before I brought it in to use could have been infected either?

*****

What was the source of your seeds and was there any relationship between the sick plants and the healthy plants as to seed soruce?

And what is the composition of the potting mix that you're talking about? Brand name and composition would help.

One wouldn't use potting mix for starting seeds so that's why I'm asking. ( smile)

While I didn't participate in your original thread I still think that you were given very good advice and that perhaps, as you admitted, you might be obsessing a bit too much about this. (smile)

Carolyn

The seeds were privately aquired...and they did wilt as young sprouts at the time they were getting there true leaves, I had thrown away those original wilters and thought nothing more of it. Everything was transplanted into cups and a few weeks later the plants(from seeds of the same source) next to the original wilters went from vigorous seedlings to wilting, and then it snowballed into many of the seedlings showing the same sort of wilting.

The potting mix I speak of was used when I transplanted the seedlings from seed trays to actual styro foam cups with holes in the bottom for drainage, not for starting the seeds. And both the seed starting mix and the potting mix are Miracle Grow brand.

And you are right, I am obssessing...a lot LOL, it is just that I have never seen this sort of thing before. It is a fact that this is only my second time growing from seed myself, but I did spend a few years working at a greenhouse and helped grow thousands of tomato seedlings there(and they did drum into our heads about spreading tomato diseases LOL), plus my parents always grew them too.
I just dont want to introduce anything nasty into my garden soil, and would rather err on the side of caution than let a pathogen loose into my soil LOL.

Good thing the plants affected were mainly cherry types, and I quickly re-sowed them last night, and they should be up and ready in no time LOL...I hope.

Okay, I know I seem to be beating a dead horse about this, but really I am just a nut when it comes to failure and my tomatoes LOL.

so this being said, I want to check with the experts here before I make any drastic decisions.

I went in to my plant room today, and found a few more plants with the same symptoms as before(it has been almost a week of nothing but healthy plants).
Oldest leaves showing some wilting/drying on the tips, and some light colored and dry patches on those leaves. If this is the same thing as before it will progress into the whole leaf branch becoming very limp and wilty.

I first thought that this was a sign of Fusarium Wilt, but after posting, most of you agreed that I had acted rashly and that it may have been caused by something else ie. human error in watering etc.

So...my question is this, after answering Carolyns questions more thoroughly, does it still appear to just be the tomatoes balking at being inside, and should I just ignore this and figure as long as they stay alive they are ok.
And as long as they remain alive/recover would that mean that it can't be FW.

And as long as they remain alive/recover would that mean that it can't be FW.

******
Sunny, Fusarium can only be acquired by plants when set outside in soil that has Fusarium already in it.

You used Miracle Grow potting soil as well as MG seed starting mix and those would not have Fusarium in them.

Carolyn

Agree. Based on the info you have provided, the odds of your plants having FW are 1 in a million and I only give it that because there is a slim possibility that you might have gotten some infected, untreated seed.

Why not contact your local Master Gardener program - available via your local county ag extension office - and take your plants in for one of them to check out.

should I just ignore this and figure as long as they stay alive they are ok.

Yes. But I don't think you are going to be able to do that are you? ;) So for your own peace of mind why not just pitch these and go with store bought plants this year?

Better yet, in addition to the purchased plants, save 1 or two of these, ignore them till planting time, plant them too and see what happens. You may be surprised at what happens once they are out in the garden, it will be a good learning experience, and that way all your bases are covered.

Dave

Thanks Guys!! I have decided to just go with it. If these live they live, if not I will replace the deserters with store bought. I was so woreried about disease that I was making myself sick.
So I isolated the suspected ones away from the healthy ones, and thats that. They have 2-3 more weeks in the house to survive, and for now wilty bottom leaves or not,as long as they are alive I will consider them perfect LOL!!

Thanks Again, I really appreciate all the help!!! :D