Late Blight? paging Carolyn & other tomato experts - Page 2

Barbee · August 9, 2009

Sporulate. Now there's a word that sort of rolls off the tongue

Jen, good luck to you on whatever decision you make. As fast as it spreads, I guess you'll know within a couple of days what needs to be done.

bcday · August 9, 2009

I think a lot depends on how badly your plants are affected and what you are doing about it.

As I've said elsewhere, 3 miles upwind of my place there is a community garden with 110 plots and most of them have tomato plants that are covered with LB. Some folks have pulled their plants out and some others are pruning and spraying so that there is no diseased foliage left on their plants. But many gardeners there are doing nothing, just letting the plants go, and that's what I feel is irresponsible. Spores from those plants are drifting downwind to many other gardens.

I've had four plants develop LB symptoms on one leaf apiece. I removed the affected leaves and I'm spraying with Daconil or some other preventative frequently, and I have not seen any further signs of LB on those plants or any of my other tomato plants. I don't feel that I'm endangering anyone else's plants if mine are no longer showing any signs of LB. Why pull them up if their remaining foliage is healthy and they have fruit ready to ripen, just because they each had one diseased leaf weeks ago?

I do wish those folks at the community garden would do something about their plants that obviously still have LB all over them and are still spreading spores around!

Barbee · August 9, 2009

It has to be frustrating for you bcday. How often would you say you're spraying to keep it in check? You said in a post above about every 5 days. If it rains in between then, would you spray earlier? And are you still getting the cool wet weather up there?
Never experienced LB before and trying to learn.

bcday · August 9, 2009

5-7 days depending on whether I see any signs of LB or other fungal diseases and what Mother Nature is doing. If the weather is rainy and there is a disease issue nearby (like that community garden) I stick to 5 days. If it warms up a bit and doesn't rain for a week, I stretch the interval out because warm dry weather discourages the fungal diseases that are most common here. If we were having a hot dry summer and no LB in sight I'd be letting it go longer than a week.

It was frustrating a few years ago when LB showed up and I didn't know what it was. It got a good start before I figured out what needed to be done and I had to pull up a few plants. It came back on a couple of plants the following year, I pruned/sprayed or discarded those pronto, and have not seen any LB since then until this year. It's annoying now to have to deal with LB again but so far it's under control in my garden. The preventative spraying plus removing spotty foliage seems to be working, and the weather last week was a big help -- a little warmer and no rain.

Barbee · August 9, 2009

Thanks, that make sense. All the labels say 14 days between sprayings but then if it rains 2 days after you spray, I never know what to do LoL
The August heat sure moved into my area the last couple of days. Whew it's hot and humid! Normal for us but with our July being so cool, it is just miserable feeling out there. Tomatoes seem to be enjoying it though

jhp · August 10, 2009

Well, as of yesterday, nothing more had shown up. It was rainy yesterday and going to be rainy today. I haven't been out there yet today. We had some dry weather the last week or so, that was a nice change.

I will continue with my spraying schedule and keep a close watch.

As of now, there are no visibly LB leaves or stems out in my garden. If it comes to it, I will take it out. I am a very responsible person in all aspects of life including my garden. Of all the friends and family members of mine that have tomato gardens, I'm the only one that sprays. Have I told people about fungicide? Yes. Does that mean they listen? No. Lots of people just want to stick a few tomato plants in the ground and not think too much about it. Not everyone that grows tomatoes has the level of interest in tomatoes or gardening to take it to the point of researching and reading about it. I'm sure those gardeners who are leaving their blighted plants there to spread their spores, are mostly clueless and it's not being done in a malicious manner. Just FYI, that's not me. If it were, I wouldn't be here.

You know, it really makes me sad that I'm facing a possibly decimated tomato garden. I put so much work into it, and I know you all here can relate. Each year I look so forward to harvest. I make sauce and can it for the winter. My family looks forward to it and brags about the great sauce I make. We eat lots and give loads away. I make sure I won't be away from home more than a day or two during harvest time. It's a big part of my life. I know to most they are just tomatoes, but to me, they represent the last 4 1/2 months spent caring for them and the winter I spent planning for them. So yes, I want to harvest this year.

Jen

Barbee · August 10, 2009

I think when you start the plants from seed after pouring over the catalogs, and deciding what you want to grow, it does make a huge difference.

For me, November thru January are about the only months I'm NOT obsessing about something to do with tomatoes. Well we better not count January either cause that's when I'm figuring out what I want to grow LoL

Sounds like you are keeping on top of things. Crossing my fingers for you for a good harvest!

Alberta · August 11, 2009

Ok, so this is my first year dealing with this and to be real honest, I'm confused. So I bag up the affected leaves, stems and fruits, and then what? I put out for the trash person to take it to the local landfill? I understand that the spores will not winter over providing we do have a very cold winter, but what happens to these diseased plants in the plastic bags at the landfill? If they are buried under alot of other garbage, will the disease continue? I don't know if I'm phrasing all this correctly, I don't even know if the people that work the land fill dispose of the plastic bags or they just remain there for years, and since we all know plastic does not decompose...what is to happen to the diseased plants at the landfills? Sorry if this is confusing, that's how my mind is working today, LOL

Alberta

Tomatovator · August 11, 2009

Alberta, You may want to start a new thead in the Geneal Discussion area covering the proper way to dispose affected plants. You will get a lot more people reading posts over there.

bcday · August 11, 2009

The disease can't continue if the plant is sealed up in a plastic bag and sent to the landfill. For one thing, it needs living plant tissue in order to survive, and a tomato plant that is sealed up in a plastic bag won't live long. Once the plant dies, the Late Blight that was on it dies too. There won't be any surviving spores in the plastic bag. Also, one of the alternate recommended ways to dispose of LB infected plants is to bury them at least two feet deep where they will decompose without releasing spores into the air to infect more plants. If your landfill is like ours, they'll take care of getting the bags buried.

I do think Alberta's question is in the correct forum. Questions about diseased plants really belong here in the Garden Diseases and Pests area.

Alberta · August 11, 2009

thanks guys, now don't fight over me, LOL

Alberta

Tomatovator · August 11, 2009

I agree that this is the correct forum but her question went unanswered for 7 hours so I thought she might get a quicker response over there. Either way I'm glad you had the answer as I wanted to know what to do as well.

Alberta · August 12, 2009

thanks for both your answers bcday and tomatovator. I appreciate your time.

Alberta

hasshoes · August 13, 2009

Again, good luck everone. :-)

If I remember correctly LB can overwinter in potatoes. . . which concerns me because I saw tons of cheap potato starts at stores this year.

I wonder how many people aren't going to pull their potatoes and just "let the winter take them down" because they think they killed them from lack of knowledge. Sigh!

jhp · August 15, 2009

UPDATE

Well, as of now, still no more sign of LB! That sungold plant in the picture posted, seems good as can be. No more lesions or yucky looking leaves. Fingers crossed I can finish the season without it!

Thanks those of you who encouraged met to wait and see before pulling the plant. I am harvesting tomatoes now.

Jen

August 9, 2009	#16
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	Sporulate. Now there's a word that sort of rolls off the tongue Jen, good luck to you on whatever decision you make. As fast as it spreads, I guess you'll know within a couple of days what needs to be done. __________________ *Barbee*

August 9, 2009	#18
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	It has to be frustrating for you bcday. How often would you say you're spraying to keep it in check? You said in a post above about every 5 days. If it rains in between then, would you spray earlier? And are you still getting the cool wet weather up there? Never experienced LB before and trying to learn. __________________ *Barbee*

August 9, 2009	#20
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	Thanks, that make sense. All the labels say 14 days between sprayings but then if it rains 2 days after you spray, I never know what to do LoL The August heat sure moved into my area the last couple of days. Whew it's hot and humid! Normal for us but with our July being so cool, it is just miserable feeling out there. Tomatoes seem to be enjoying it though __________________ *Barbee*

August 10, 2009	#22
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	I think when you start the plants from seed after pouring over the catalogs, and deciding what you want to grow, it does make a huge difference. For me, November thru January are about the only months I'm NOT obsessing about something to do with tomatoes. Well we better not count January either cause that's when I'm figuring out what I want to grow LoL Sounds like you are keeping on top of things. Crossing my fingers for you for a good harvest! __________________ *Barbee*

August 11, 2009	#23
Alberta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mastic, NY Posts: 212	More regarding late blight Ok, so this is my first year dealing with this and to be real honest, I'm confused. So I bag up the affected leaves, stems and fruits, and then what? I put out for the trash person to take it to the local landfill? I understand that the spores will not winter over providing we do have a very cold winter, but what happens to these diseased plants in the plastic bags at the landfill? If they are buried under alot of other garbage, will the disease continue? I don't know if I'm phrasing all this correctly, I don't even know if the people that work the land fill dispose of the plastic bags or they just remain there for years, and since we all know plastic does not decompose...what is to happen to the diseased plants at the landfills? Sorry if this is confusing, that's how my mind is working today, LOL Alberta

August 9, 2009	#17
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	I think a lot depends on how badly your plants are affected and what you are doing about it. As I've said elsewhere, 3 miles upwind of my place there is a community garden with 110 plots and most of them have tomato plants that are covered with LB. Some folks have pulled their plants out and some others are pruning and spraying so that there is no diseased foliage left on their plants. But many gardeners there are doing nothing, just letting the plants go, and that's what I feel is irresponsible. Spores from those plants are drifting downwind to many other gardens. I've had four plants develop LB symptoms on one leaf apiece. I removed the affected leaves and I'm spraying with Daconil or some other preventative frequently, and I have not seen any further signs of LB on those plants or any of my other tomato plants. I don't feel that I'm endangering anyone else's plants if mine are no longer showing any signs of LB. Why pull them up if their remaining foliage is healthy and they have fruit ready to ripen, just because they each had one diseased leaf weeks ago? I do wish those folks at the community garden would do something about their plants that obviously still have LB all over them and are still spreading spores around!

August 10, 2009	#21
jhp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 492	Well, as of yesterday, nothing more had shown up. It was rainy yesterday and going to be rainy today. I haven't been out there yet today. We had some dry weather the last week or so, that was a nice change. I will continue with my spraying schedule and keep a close watch. As of now, there are no visibly LB leaves or stems out in my garden. If it comes to it, I will take it out. I am a very responsible person in all aspects of life including my garden. Of all the friends and family members of mine that have tomato gardens, I'm the only one that sprays. Have I told people about fungicide? Yes. Does that mean they listen? No. Lots of people just want to stick a few tomato plants in the ground and not think too much about it. Not everyone that grows tomatoes has the level of interest in tomatoes or gardening to take it to the point of researching and reading about it. I'm sure those gardeners who are leaving their blighted plants there to spread their spores, are mostly clueless and it's not being done in a malicious manner. Just FYI, that's not me. If it were, I wouldn't be here. You know, it really makes me sad that I'm facing a possibly decimated tomato garden. I put so much work into it, and I know you all here can relate. Each year I look so forward to harvest. I make sauce and can it for the winter. My family looks forward to it and brags about the great sauce I make. We eat lots and give loads away. I make sure I won't be away from home more than a day or two during harvest time. It's a big part of my life. I know to most they are just tomatoes, but to me, they represent the last 4 1/2 months spent caring for them and the winter I spent planning for them. So yes, I want to harvest this year. Jen

August 11, 2009	#24
Tomatovator Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Zone 6 Posts: 461	Alberta, You may want to start a new thead in the Geneal Discussion area covering the proper way to dispose affected plants. You will get a lot more people reading posts over there.

August 12, 2009	#28
Alberta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mastic, NY Posts: 212	thanks for both your answers bcday and tomatovator. I appreciate your time. Alberta

August 13, 2009	#29
hasshoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: MT Posts: 438	Again, good luck everone. :-) If I remember correctly LB can overwinter in potatoes. . . which concerns me because I saw tons of cheap potato starts at stores this year. I wonder how many people aren't going to pull their potatoes and just "let the winter take them down" because they think they killed them from lack of knowledge. Sigh! __________________ Sara

August 15, 2009	#30
jhp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 492	UPDATE Well, as of now, still no more sign of LB! That sungold plant in the picture posted, seems good as can be. No more lesions or yucky looking leaves. Fingers crossed I can finish the season without it! Thanks those of you who encouraged met to wait and see before pulling the plant. I am harvesting tomatoes now. Jen