Another tomato plant problem - pics

[Miles]

Hi,

Sorry, I'm sure you get this all the time, but recently some of my tomato plants have developed a black and yellow leaves with black patches on the stalks.

There are several varieties mixed in together.

In hindsight I know they are planted far too close together!

There is loads of fruit, but none has ripened yet.

So what should I do?

When will the the fruit start to ripen?

If I need to terminate the plant, can i rescue the fruit and ripen it off the plant?

[image: thanks!

[Billy]

The plants look wet. Is this part of the syndrome or do you water the leaves as well as the soil?

So to the drill: what is your climate, soil, hours of sunlight, how often do you water? Include anything else that may be helpful.

Actually this looks much like a recent discussion of "late blight". Your third picture looks similar to the second and third picture at the site below.

it isn't late blight, it still looks like a mold or mildew of some variety. Google: "tomatoes, diseases, pictures" and hopefully you'll find a match.

Until someone else chimes in, I'd say remove dead foliage, don't water the leaves (only the ground when it's dry, and don't splash it on the leaves), check with a nursery for an organic anti-fungicidal, such as you'll find on

should be some other suggestions coming along soon.

Good luck.

[Pat Kiewicz]

Looks like Late Blight, a HUGE problem this year in a large part of the US:

the infected plants (bag and trash). No fungicide will save them.

Unaffected plants MAY be protected by fungicide applications but brace yourself for the possibility of a total loss.

Scout around for weeds in the nightshade family which may also be infected and get rid of them, too.

See pictures here:

[Miles]

I'm based in Cornwall, UK. Temps have probably been between 13 to 20 degrees for the last few weeks and very wet. Hours of daylight are probably about 15/16, but hours of sun light have been very few recently.

I've not watered the plants for a good 3 weeks because its been raining so much. This also means I've not fed them! (oops!)

I started chopping off the infected leaves yesterday, but will carry on tonight, and might terminate the 2 infected plants completely in an attempt to save the rest!

[Billy]

See Pat Kiewicz's post. No matter what kind of mold you have, get rid of the two infected plants without touching them with the infected ones. Try not to touch infected plants with your hands or tools, and then touch healthy plants. Wash hands first and disinfect tools with bleach.

As I have written, we had just discussed "Late Blight" which looks very similar (or identical) to your problem. This is what much of the East Coast of the U.S. is looking at:

luck.

[Miles]

I went out this evening and they had deteriorated badly just 24 hours later. All plants of different variety are showing symptoms, so I've killed the lot of them.

Gutted.

I dont suppose there is any chance that some of the green fruit will ripen off the plant? What can I do to give them the best chance?

[Billy]

OK, to be honest, I haven't tried this my self, but wash green tomatoes in a 5% bleach solution for 20 min. Wash with dish washing detergent at the same concentration you would use to wash dishes. Rinse and pat DRY. Place green tomatoes in a bag with a ripe tomato or a ripe banana and seal the bag. The ripe fruit will generate ethylene gas which will ripen your green tomatoes. Check after a week. You may still lose some of your tomatoes but you should be able to salvage some of them.

Welcome to the wonderful world of agriculture. At some point try and remember, there will be a year where everything goes perfectly for no apparent reason.

I hope someone has a better idea, but I doubt it.

Just wait till next year ;O)

[Charlie]

Pop them in a bag with some apples and they should give you passable results, at least as good as green harvested and gas ripened market tomatoes.

Have you ever experienced fried green tomatoes? They are always enjoyed late season and after frost in our house. Green tomato chutney is enjoyed here as well.

Google "green tomato chutney" and take your pick.

Here is a basic fried green mater recipe, a southern tradition in the US.

use panko bread crumbs with any recipe calling for bread crumbs and are delighted with the results.

Charlie

[Charlie]

Hah....shows what you know, old man.

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES.

You gotta do it this year, if'n you ain't done it before.

Charlie

[Billy]

Been there, and will do that again. Oh, fried green tomatoes are good, but no comparison to the real deal;O) IMHO

[D. Arlington]

It may ripen and may not. Don't plant tomatoes, peppers or eggplants in that spot for the next few years. Late blight is a constant problem where I live, even on virgin land.