Pulled my first one today!

[Lee]

Plant that is. Lousy Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus looks like
it has reared its ugly head in NC again.
Learned my lesson a couple of years ago and ripped the
plant out quick.

Too bad, since it was a new (to me) heirloom I wanted
to try....

Here are some pix of what it looked like.

Lee





http://www.tomatopalooza.org/2006/pix/TSWV3.JPG

http://www.tomatopalooza.org/2006/pix/TSWV4.JPG

http://www.tomatopalooza.org/2006/pix/TSWV5.JPG

http://www.tomatopalooza.org/2006/pix/TSWV6.JPG

[shelleybean]

I lost every tomato plant in my garden to that a few years ago. What a bummer. Sorry!

[gardenmama]

Sorry to see TSWV in your garden Lee. I'm losing Cherokee Chocolate to this nemesis. The nurse in me is trying to get it through with severe pruning and foliar spraying but I think it's a hopeless cause.

[daylilydude]

Hi Lee
Sorry to hear about your lose ! What variety tomato was it i might have some seeds i can send you .
Richard

[Lee]

Yeah, Martha. TSWV is a hopeless cause.
I tried the same thing you are trying, and it was a complete
waste of time. The fruit that finally did ripen was so deformed it wasn't worth keeping.
I am trying to root one sucker that looked healthy so I
may get a Sept. tomato, but my main goal was to
keep it from spreading....
If any thrips hit the plant and then went to my Green
Giant right next door.... I would not be a happy camper...

On the plus side, my dad's growing it, so I will get a chance
to see the fruit there....

Richard the variety is Kristina Bulgarian #1. I only know of
one other person that has it this year, as they just received
it from overseas last season.... Still have plenty of seeds, but thanks anyway.

Lee

[gardengalrn]

Lee, I really am sorry about your plant(s). Gardeners have so many rewards but also so many disappointments

I'm in denial right now that early blight isn't going to take a bunch of my plants. I've sprayed and all that but it really doesn't make a difference in end. I have only so much space to plant and it's there, like clockwork. Usually my most-anticipated plant. GRRRR!! So we'll see what kind of harvest I get out of all the plants I've babied, as you probably did yours. I should have enough to feed a few 3rd Worlds but in the past few years since the blight showed up, I haven't.

[MsCowpea]

Lee, I would not use that sucker from an infected plant even if it looks healthy--it is a virus and would be found systemically throughout the plant.

I feel your pain I had to rip out 30 new to me heirlooms 2 years ago--the plants were infected at a later stage. Luckily I still had other tomatoes but still made me sick.

I read everything I could get my hands on this disease--one thing I remember it symptom characteristics can vary but it is the same disease nonetheless.

I would never try and 'nurse' a TSWV plant - you risk infecting other thrips to pass is on to your other plants.

I did take a pollyanna approach to this disease--look on the bright side. It is not passed from plant to plant so it is not infectious like some of the other viruses. It is not soil borne so it does not infect your soil for years and years. Get rid of the thrips (not so easy I grant you) and any other host plants and at least you have a chance with remaining plants and next year is a new beginning.

[Rena]

Sorry to hear of your loss! Protect thy Green Giant that fruit is just wondermous!-Rena

[Dr_Redwine]

Lee:
I feel your pain. I pulled up a Cuostralee' today with the same disorder. I've already lost a BW Sudduth's and a Red Brandywine to this. Up until this year I didn't know what it was; I have lost a hybrid here and there in the past. Ya'll are right that once a plant has this 'it is all over but the cryin'.

DrR

[angelique]

Lee I feel bad for you too. About a week ago, I pulled a tangerine (tomato) plant that was infested by nematodes. It was a hard thing to do. But it was the right thing to do. I have also lost:

Cherokee Green: DH killed when removing fill dirt from my beds

Others that may not make it (my fault):

Peacevine Cherry: accidently sprayed with weed killer or vinegar about 3-4 weeks ago. About 1/2 the leaves are gone.

Brad's Black Heart: I transplanted too small. The four leaves it did have are gone. However, it does look like new leaves are starting to "sprout" out.

Angelique

[Lee]

Well,
Brad's Black Heart became Brad's black foliage and it got
the pull also. Stinkin' thrips!

Grandfather Ashlock had one branch that was starting to turn. Cut the branch off completely, so I hope that'll
allow the plant to go on with out pulling. (The other two
were pretty much infested all the way around.)

We shall see....

Guess I'm glad now I have foster plants in other people
gardens. >50 other plants including 2 of the infected 3.

Lee

[honu]

Lee,
That's just awful... I know how it feels. After all that work and expense, I'm pulling one plant after another that exhibit signs... mottled dark and light green, shrunken leaves, stunted growth, no more flowers, no fruit set.
MsCowpea is correct in suggesting you do not root the cuttings, prune, or try to nurse an infected plant. Viral disease is systemic, so even if part of the plant looks healthy, it is carrying the virus and can infect more vectors as long as it lives.
You need to destroy the entire plant, other host plants, and the vectors in order to control the virus. The virus needs a living host to survive.

Ms Cowpea, how did you manage to get rid of the thrips? I am finding it impossible to control thrips and other vectors here, as they just keep flying in from adjacent areas.

[chilhuacle]

Sorry to hear about your loss. I know the feeling. Every year I lose one or two to cucumber mosaic virus. So far Japanese Trifiele Black and Earl's Faux have been pulled and Bucks County isn't looking too happy at the moment.

What's amazing is how fast it comes on. One day the plant is as beautiful as its neighbors, 24 hours later it looks like hell.

[Lee]

Yep, my Grandfather Ashlock experiment prooved everyone
correct.
1 day after pruning, the other leaves started turning, so
up and out came the whole plant.

Now, let's just hope those are the only 3......

Lee

[shelleybean]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed too. I pruned several branches off of Old Virginia Sunday. So far, so good. I can't see it on any of my other plants yet but one of my neighbors across the street has found it on all his tomato plants. It's interesting because he lives in a duplex and shares a yard with a family who also has a garden. They have no sign of TSWV on their plants yet. Time will tell.