[Maryann]

I know there have been other questions recently about Tomatoes going brown but mine don't appear to look quite the same and I wonder if anyone can identify the problem for me.

They are the Bush variety Gartenperle (The Tumbling Tomato).
Our biggest mistake was putting them into ground rather than baskets or pots...it said Bush so I thought they would be like the ones I grew last year (Tiny Tim) which were fine in ground.


Anyway............ They started off fine and have produced some lovely fruits but now they are all going brown and dying  

Should I pull the lot up and throw in bin or can I use the good ones for chutney (ones still green).





Also....Gardeners Delight next to Gartenperle going same way.

Ailsa Craig (crossing fingers whilst typing  :shock: ) looking OK at moment.

[Aunt Sally]

Hmmm..  I'm no expert but it could be potato blight

[Maryann]

Hmmm..  I'm no expert but it could be potato blight

Just found earlier thread and shocked to see so many people lost all their crop to this. I don't have a lottie yet - this is in my back garden/

I do have some potatoes growing but they are about 70 feet away, right at bottom of garden is another bed altogether and showing no signs of any problem. However they were not seed potatoes, they were just a bag of new potatoes that sprouted so I popped them in and they have produced some really lovely spuds - nearly finished now.

I grew 3 varieties of toms this year and all produced lovely fruit to begin with but now I realise this is happening to a lot of folk.

Oh dear........

[gobs]

I'm afraid... you can try and spray Ailsa whilst it is looking good.

[Lee1978]

Looks very like blight to me, i have lost a dozen tomatoe plants up to now due to blight. I think quite a lot of people have been hit due to this strange weather we have been experiencing :cry:

[Cleo]

Looks like blight.

The spores more likely to settle on plants in damp weather. More than likely came over the garden wall rather than from your supermarket potatoes seeing as they are okay.

Burn ( don't compost ) the rotten ones asap and be vigilant picking off those affected. Unaffected fruit fine to eat.

[Maryann]

Looks like this is what my Toms have ....from the description.

Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is very similar to the disease that attacks potatoes. So keep tomatoes well away from potato crops. Look out for it in the warm, moist weather of mid to late summer. At this time, wind-carried spores spread the disease very quickly. On the stems, the first signs are large, dark-brown spots, which can spread and kill the plant. Similar spots form on the leaves, although they may be lighter or grey in colour. It takes very little time for the leaves to be covered, after which they wither and die. It also affects the fruits, which go a red/brown marbled colour and become inedible.

How upsetting  

[Maryann]

This is very much what mine look like.

http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/problem-solving/tomato-blight/

Well I should say what mine looked like!

We have pulled them all up and picked the best of what was there. The Ailsa Craig on closer inspection are also showing early signs so we stripped off the huge trusses which are all still green and hope to use them in chutney.

Can anyone tell me please what we should do with the bed the toms were in? Can we disinfect the soil or put something in it which will help kill off any of the spores etc.

Also what sort of disinfectant is best to wash the pots and trays in that toms were grown in. I will have to wash the lot anyway as no idea which ones I used for the toms  :roll:  I normally just use household disinfectant or diluted Jeyes Fluid but is this OK.

I am so miserable but at least I know I'm not alone and now I know what to look out for I am a little bit wiser..........just a 'little' bit  

[Annie]

The spores on the soil are quickly gone and crop rotation should minimise the riak.Only sterilse or disinfect your soil if you want to kill off worms and other beneficial bugs as well as the bad.

[naturesparadise]

yep its blight i have it to its been bad this year some say its all the wet weather we have had

i have 21 gardeners delight tom plants one is getting blotches on stem i will be burning it tomorrow

[Maryann]

Right, well thats that then  :cry:

Have removed most of the toms and they have been in my utility room for a few days and are continuing to ripen off gradually without any rotting so far.....which is something.

I am now in process of making Red Tom Chutney with first lot and will then use up the remainder making Green Chutney. Hubby at home this week on holiday so have roped him in to peel onions  

We managed to save around 14lb toms in total and still have several more plants in greenhouse with no signs of the dreaded blight ........so far  :shock:

Also my spuds are great  and I took a chance with them not being seed potatoes as well. The taste was wonderful and reminded me of the spuds I used to get in Ireland many years ago. My Uncles all grew them (Golden Wonders) and eating them immediated took me back to those happy days and great memories so they were well worth growing.

Thanks for comments and advice.