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kevin_johnson36

Another one bites the dust

10 years ago

I'm planning on going to the county extension office on Tuesday, but in the mean time, an anyone identify this disease. It's basically taking out all of my tomato plants, both young and old. I'm trying my best to contain it, but every day a new plant shows signs. I live in Pensacola, Florida and our weather is hot and humidity.

This plant looked fine earlier today and then it rained, I just checked on it and this is what it looks like.

I'm super frustrated cause I had a good spring planting and planned on a better fall planting, but since now all my plants are looking doomed. I just started more seeds 3 days ago and they are all sprouting now, hopefully I can get them planted and producing before our first frost.

My backup plan

Comments (14)

  • 10 years ago

    Your backup plan needs LOTS more light.

  • 10 years ago

    I just put the light on them, they were in the sunroom, that's why they stretched, they look leggy, but it looks worse than it is. I'll let you know how they do.

  • 10 years ago

    PcolaGrower: This plant looked fine earlier today and then it rained, I just checked on it and this is what it looks like.

    Is it possible that the rain included fine hail or something? Or was it very heavy-hitting rain on plants that were just put outside? That looks like physical bruising to me, not disease.

  • 10 years ago

    It does look like that, but I have my other seedlings in the same area and they don't look like that, so I don't know

    They get these wet looking spots and it does progress into this

  • 10 years ago

    Maybe it's the rain that made that first photo look off. This last photo definitely looks like disease. Although it could also be bacterial spot or speck, I think septoria is a better match with that last pic. The county extension office can probably give you a clearer diagnosis since they'll be able to see the plants in person.

    With disease onset this early in the plant's development, I'd personally start over rather than try to keep growing out affected plants.

    Are you spraying with fungicide from the very first day you put the plants out?

  • 10 years ago

    Yeah, I've learned a lot this season. I'm new to growing tomatoes. I have been spraying my plants alternating with daconil and copper and neem. I still have 6 healthy looking plants, so hopefully I can keep them that way.

    One of my older plants that I transplanted to a raised bed has the same symptoms and now is wilting

  • 10 years ago

    So I just dug up this one and the roots look as follow

    Anything look wrong?

  • 10 years ago

    Also some milky whiteness in the stem

  • 10 years ago

    Yeah, there's some kind of wilt or stem rot at work there. My guess would be bacterial wilt, which likes southern climes and sandy, moist soils. The disease severity and likelihood of plants getting infected is made worse if you have RKN because the damage they do to roots lets the bacterium in.

    It's unfortunately entirely possible that you have some kind of fungal or bacterial foliage disease AND a wilt. Especially in your growing climate.

    Brown mites in the soil do not harm the plants. They are primarily composters so are there eating the already rotting/dead tissue.

    If I were you, I'd definitely get in touch with the county extension office and see what information they have and what resources might be available.

  • 10 years ago

    I think your right, gorbelly. Ive been hit with multiple pest and disease problems. My next step is visiting the county extension office Wednesday to see what advice and to get a definite diagnosis. I had some plants in buckets at the beginning of the season and four of they are still alive and just started to set fruit again. I'm not going to give up, just got to take a different approach. Thanks

  • 10 years ago

    Maybe check out the Florida Gardeners forum if you haven't done so already? I'm guessing there are people there with more experience in how diseases and pests present in your area and with area-specific strategies and tips.

  • 10 years ago

    Well I found my answer, it's definitely a combination of many things. The lead horticultural scientist at Mobile Botanical Garden (about house and half from me) Bill Finch has a good read.

    https://mbgrebloomshop.com/blogs/news/83859716-plain-gardening-archive-the-tomato-heartbreak-disease-bacterial-wilt

  • 10 years ago

    You're growing in a tough area for disease for sure. On the other hand, you'll be eating ripe tomatoes next year while my plants are still getting over transplant shock. I hope you find some good strategies that work for you. You're probably a good candidate for experimenting with grafting.

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