Disease issues- 2 years running

snagged · June 2, 2014

Had a catastrophic event tonight for the second year in a row. Background story is I grow tomatoes in an organic community garden. This year, I had an entirely new plot. Grew different varieties from seed for the first time. Two years in a row now, in early summer, I show up to plants with gnarled stems (looks like the wind-gnarled trees you see on high mountain tops), downturned and twisted leaves; blistering, squaring, and some browning of the main stem, and the stems feel like Styrofoam when snapped. Also some slight yellowing of the edge of the leaves. As with last year, I am pulling and destroying. Last year, I planted some big box Rutgers in their place which did well until deer ate them in early fall. This year, I may just throw in the towel and plant pumpkin seeds.

Any idea what this disease is? The main stem looks like the canker bacterial disease on Cornell's site.

Am I doing the right thing by pulling and destroying?

Anything I can do to prevent or am I just unlucky? It doesn't seem like anyone else in the community garden has this problem and some folks are out there watering all the time. I did not add water after the plants got established. Probably haven't watered in a month other than rainfall since we seem to be getting plenty lately. Plants were mulched both years.

Also, it happened a few days after applying insecticidal soap for the first time both years. But, I think this is just a coincidence since one plant was showing signs of the problem before and it rained a couple of days after the insecticidal soap.

Extremely frustrating. I've lost 4 of 8 large plants. I have 2 more I think are going down soon. Thank heavens I have some tomatoes in pots doing well at home.

http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...psdef3b179.png
http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...psf87f119c.png
http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...psf1d70fd9.png

http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...ps64aebb06.png

http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3b747068.png

beeman · June 3, 2014

When you finally pull them I would suggest you examine the root, as it sounds like my problem...Corky Root Rot.
The plant does well until about the second truss, then the first dry, hot spell and it starts to collapse. Sometimes down one side, others from the top, and some I've had from the bottom up.
The lower stem becomes brown and crispy, indented in places, and the roots are sparse and brown. It took me years to establish as everyone talked up all the leaf diseases, rather than the root of the problem. Pun intended.

Barbee · June 3, 2014

If it happened both years after applying insecticidal soap I'd be investigating that a bit further.
What time of day are you spraying?
How are you spraying and are you following label directions? Are you shaking contents of sprayer well and cleaning out the sprayer before adding soap and afterwards?
Are you spraying the soap with anything else (sticker, fungicide, fertilizer etc) or using some other product shortly after or before?

June 2, 2014	#1
snagged Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: GA(7b) Posts: 10	Disease issues- 2 years running Had a catastrophic event tonight for the second year in a row. Background story is I grow tomatoes in an organic community garden. This year, I had an entirely new plot. Grew different varieties from seed for the first time. Two years in a row now, in early summer, I show up to plants with gnarled stems (looks like the wind-gnarled trees you see on high mountain tops), downturned and twisted leaves; blistering, squaring, and some browning of the main stem, and the stems feel like Styrofoam when snapped. Also some slight yellowing of the edge of the leaves. As with last year, I am pulling and destroying. Last year, I planted some big box Rutgers in their place which did well until deer ate them in early fall. This year, I may just throw in the towel and plant pumpkin seeds. Any idea what this disease is? The main stem looks like the canker bacterial disease on Cornell's site. Am I doing the right thing by pulling and destroying? Anything I can do to prevent or am I just unlucky? It doesn't seem like anyone else in the community garden has this problem and some folks are out there watering all the time. I did not add water after the plants got established. Probably haven't watered in a month other than rainfall since we seem to be getting plenty lately. Plants were mulched both years. Also, it happened a few days after applying insecticidal soap for the first time both years. But, I think this is just a coincidence since one plant was showing signs of the problem before and it rained a couple of days after the insecticidal soap. Extremely frustrating. I've lost 4 of 8 large plants. I have 2 more I think are going down soon. Thank heavens I have some tomatoes in pots doing well at home. http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...psdef3b179.png http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...psf87f119c.png http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...psf1d70fd9.png http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...ps64aebb06.png http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3b747068.png Last edited by snagged; June 2, 2014 at 10:43 PM. Reason: Added links to pictures

June 3, 2014	#3
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	If it happened both years after applying insecticidal soap I'd be investigating that a bit further. What time of day are you spraying? How are you spraying and are you following label directions? Are you shaking contents of sprayer well and cleaning out the sprayer before adding soap and afterwards? Are you spraying the soap with anything else (sticker, fungicide, fertilizer etc) or using some other product shortly after or before? __________________ *Barbee*

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June 3, 2014	#2
beeman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 692	When you finally pull them I would suggest you examine the root, as it sounds like my problem...Corky Root Rot. The plant does well until about the second truss, then the first dry, hot spell and it starts to collapse. Sometimes down one side, others from the top, and some I've had from the bottom up. The lower stem becomes brown and crispy, indented in places, and the roots are sparse and brown. It took me years to establish as everyone talked up all the leaf diseases, rather than the root of the problem. Pun intended.