| Author | Message | ||
     86129squids |
I was just wondering if folks here on the QB have seen or heard of any tomato diseases going around this year... we've kept a garden the past several years, with plenty of success, planting several varieties of tomatoes, peppers, OKRA,  squash, cukes, and zukes. We've gotten into the canning habit, LOVE to cook up with our own sauces and salsas...  I've done a little research, hate to say it but we may be looking at tomato mosaic virus... makes the leaves look puny and malformed up top, some of our plants the whole thing looks puny. Only a couple of our 'mater plants look OK. All the peppers and other plants look fine... If you're a homegrown tomato fan, chime in here and let me know what you've seen this year so far. It'll REALLY SUCK not to have my regular bumper crop this year if this is what's going on... | ||
| Airbozo |
We normally grow a lot of tomatoes and peppers as well as squash and beans/peas. This year has been tough due to the drought, but the biggest problem this year has been the gophers. They have completely wiped out 2 1/2 of our 4 beds (down from 8 last year). I am declaring all out war on those critters. We are now down to only one tomato plant, a couple of peppers some basil and a few squash as well as one full bed of asparagus (which is not doing well this year either). We normally have a couple dozen tomato plants alone, but this year is not a good one. | ||
| Nukeblue |
knock on wood mine all look good so far (6 plants in a raised bed). about 30" tall. maybe some curling of the lower leaves but pretty sure they needed watering. but now i'll be watchin em like a hawk! | ||
| Glitch |
My Dad is up near y'all He's had disease the past few years He did aquaponics this year He's up to his eye brows in tomatoes already | ||
| Figorvonbuellingham |
Drifting herbicide from your friendly local farmer will do about the same thing. | ||
| Thumper74 |
Speaking of which, mine are okay, but the roses are being eaten. Any tips? | ||
| Two_seasons |
^^Rose dust^^ | ||
| 86129squids |
Update: My good friend, who used to be the Co-Op's garden girl, came by and confirmed that my plants have the mosaic virus. Only 2 look salvageable... I'll be pulling up the rest.    Fifteen plants, from seed, most all heirloom, gone. Since this is a virus, I'll have to SOAK the soil, and so very carefully pull as much of the plant out as I can. The whole area where the tomatoes were planted will be suspect... won't even try there for tomatoes the next few years. If there are plant fragments left, there might be virus. I'll have to switch out next year with plenty of room top and bottom, peppers up top where my tomatoes failed this year, tomatoes on the bottom. With all fingers crossed and such. CRAPTASTIC. Dammit, I'm PI$$ed. | ||
| Blake |
Happened to my dad's garden in NY a couple years running. Virus came with seedlings.  Our tomatoes here in Texas last year didn't even bloom. Weird! This year we have two new raised beds. Three of four plants are over six feet already. Red fruit ready to pick. | ||
| Oldog |
"Speaking of which, mine are okay, but the roses are being eaten. Any tips?" Jap beetles? Bayer makes a spray on ( for use with a hose ) for flowering plants works well. about 20$ just caught the beetles starting to appear frequent application will handle them, | ||
| 86129squids |
Blake- that's the damndest thing about it, ALL of my plants were propagated from seed! I don't know what to think. In talks with the county agriculture extension guy, he offered that for $15, he could send one of my plants to Nashville to be tested... haven't decided about that yet. | ||
| 86129squids |
Just read another article that said the mosaic virus can be carried by MARIGOLDS... I had planted about six of the larger variety marigolds around the border of the garden only a couple of weeks after I'd planted the tomatoes. We have been in the habit of setting the garden border with marigolds to help control insect pests... now I've become highly suspicious of THOSE plants... The same virus is found in tobacco and tobacco products, and my GF has always been a smoker. The article says to not smoke or handle tobacco when around the garden, and to wash/sterilize hands and garden tools as needed. Whatever the cause, my 'maters are toast now. Gonna go pick up a couple of big pots to transfer the last two decent looking ones up to the deck, then yank out the ones that definitely are too far gone. DAMMIT. |
