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Leaves and fruit look fine, but the stem is like this all the way along.
What is it?

I'm not an expert, but that looks like the start of blight.  Or rather should I say that I've had discolouration of the stems like that and then the full symptoms of blight followed.

I am scared it is blight.

Fingers Xd!!

Looks like it might be the big B, if so, it may be too late to spray that one and your other toms (and spuds if you've got them), but probably worth a shot.  Bordeaux mixture is still politically correct.

If it is the big B, you might do well to pick any green toms off affected plants and let them ripen indoors.  You still might lose them though, so the ultimate saving strategy is probably to do a big batch of green tom chutney if you have to. :'(

For what it's worth, my guess would be that it could be early botrytis.  We get it most years in the greenhouse.  It's a pain, and eventually it is quite widespread.  I cut it out at the first signs, but whilst it spreads, it doesn't affect the tomato quality and taste.

Would be interested to hear if any other growers are affected by it, and what they 'do' about it.  Is there any remedy?

valmarg

I used to call it  Gray Mould as i could not remember boytrytus There used to be a powder called bendrazamin or some thing like that but that was a few years back. Ths EU will of taken it of the market by now

Sorry but it looks more like blight to me :'(

My toms are close to one another, should I just destroy this plant? Most upset. It is my megga-trussed plant and is absolutely loaded with fruit. Typically it is the only variety that I have only one plant of.

As it has kilos of green fruit on, anyone got a good green tomato recipe?

I will have a go at out before i destroy my plants so i would get a Stanly knife and cut it out remove any decaying leaves and fruit being carfull not to touch any other plants.

Quote from: davy1 on July 24, 2006, 22:26:55
I will have a go at out before i destroy my plants so i would get a Stanly knife and cut it out remove any decaying leaves and fruit being carfull not to touch any other plants.

It's only on the stem, I can't really cut that out.

Is it common for only the stem to be affected?

If it's blight, doubt very much whether it will be just the stem for much longer.  When it has a hold of a plant it has an unstoppable and devastating effect. :(

Iit looks like Grey Mould  You can have a try
Put a bamboo up against the plant and tie off above and below to suppart the plant  skim off the diseased area with a Stanley knife as finely as possible. When you have got it all off tape the injured area to the bamboo.
What have you got to loose

Looking at your picture the leaves look ok Blight is usually indicated by brown blotches on the leaves

Quote from: davy1 on July 24, 2006, 23:05:44
Iit looks like Grey Mould  You can have a try
Put a bamboo up against the plant and tie off above and below to suppart the plant  skim off the diseased area with a Stanley knife as finely as possible. When you have got it all off tape the injured area to the bamboo.
What have you got to loose

What have I got to loose? The neighbouring plants.

Blight, grey mould? I wish I knew.

I'll have a good look in the morning, and chose my course of action.

The plant has had a stay of execution, while I ask some more questions.

Here is a leaf this morning, early signs of blight or a deficiancy, I know calcium deficiancy can cause browning on  the stem, but this normally start from teh growing tip, which is still healthy and green. Some leaves are curling upwards (cigar style) the plant just looks generally less happy than its neighbours but far from unwell.



I rewound the support cord on this plant, it is really pulling down on the cord due to the massive weight of its trusses. The string used is coarse, I ran out of soft twine, could this browning be caused by chafing against the cord while it was in its old position?

d**n I am useless with diseases, I always dither and after much dithering I think I sometimes take more extreme action than required. However, this plant is right among its neighbours and I don't want blight to take hold while I dither, but equally don't want to destroy a plant that has no blight in the first place.

Argh!

Quote from: amphibian on July 24, 2006, 22:04:09
As it has kilos of green fruit on, anyone got a good green tomato recipe?

If they're small, you could pickle them.  I have a recipe if you'd like me to post it.

Well I have checked teh plant again, and it isn't chafing. I think it must be blight.  :'(

I'm going to rip the plant out in a minute.


The tomatoes are mostly not very small, probably a bit big for pickling, would it be worthwhile trying to ripen them indoors or should I just use them green?

Having seen your problem, I went straight out to buy some Dithane 945 to spray my crop, but unlike spuds, where they recommend precautionary spraying, for toms, the advice is to wait until the first signs of blight appear.
Worth a try?

JeremyB

Well I have moved the plant to the back of the house, I've actually convinced myself it may be chafing after all. One examination I have found the marks to be absolutely limited to the main stem, where the cord has been wound. I have rewound it several times and the trusses are very heavy and the wind strong. I found faint brown marks under the cord, near the top, which appear to be made recently by the cord chafing.

I will keep it in isolation and update.