Topic: Are black cherry tomatoes more susceptible to blight?

[cestrian]

This year seems to have been my worst for a while in the greenhouse, with tomatoes, cucumber and chillis. Only one cucumber so far whereas last year I had them by the barrow load. I grew three varieties of tom; tigerella, ailsa craig and black cherry. I am just starting to get some ripe ones now, but the leaves on the black cherry have started to turn brown and powdery. I have removed most of the branches, but the tomatoes are only lasting a few days after I pick them and they don't taste great. I really love BC toms normally I've grown them for the last 3 or 4 years, keeping the seed for next year. The tigerella and ailsa craig that are growing next to the black cherry, don't seem to be affected at all. The strange thin is these were the strongest plants from seed and were twice the size of the others initially.

Is this something I have caused by keeping the seeds from the previous year or are black cherry tomatoes more susceptible to blight?

[galina]

If your cherry tomatoes have blight (the description does not really sound like blight) then the others would most likely get it too.  Do you leave the greenhouse doors open?  Ventilation is the key to blight prevention.  Seed saving (and not fermenting) may just possibly pass some diseases on, but not very likely.  I have several tomato varieties that I have been saving for 25 years or longer, no problem. 

Scoop out the innards with the seeds and the gel around the seeds into a glass jar, add about the same amount of water and leave to ferment for 3-4 days.  Stir, gently pour the gunk off the top- the heavy seeds will stay at the bottom.  Fill up with water again and into a tea strainer.  The seeds should be clean and the gel around them removed.  I just let them dry on a plastic plate, label, and we are good to go for another cycle.   

[Digeroo]

I would suggest that black tomatoes do seem to be more susceptible to blight I have never managed to crop one ever.  Tried lots of times. 

[sparrow]

I've got some Smurfs inside and out and they are so far problem free, if late in ripening.

My black cherry are huge plants, and also not with blight. What you have sounds more like botrytis, which I think is shortly going to come my way as I am really struggling to keep the greenhouse dry inside.

[cestrian]

Hi Galina - that is exactly the same way I ferment my seeds - never had a problem before

Sparrow - Just googled botrytis and I think you are right. If it is that then why would the black cherry be plagued by it and the others be OK. My BC are big plants too, like triffids!

[saddad]

Mine suffer more with Botryis... 

[galina]

Ventilation is the key for botrytis too.  Being careful with watering also.  I often get botrytis later in the year when it is rainy, cold and grey for days on end,  but not usually before October.  You must have been unlucky.   

[GREGME]

I dont think they are any worse but for me they are too tall and hard to control if you want many trusses.
Found black opal a lot easier to grow, not as tall but productive and early which always helps with blight.