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Post by tbird on Jul 14, 2015 10:51:15 GMT -5
welp - I may have done a very bad thing :(
My tomato bed was doing very well, everything nice and healthy, and progressing from green growth through to many blossoms and tiny toms on every plant. And no signs of the soil borne disease I have had nearly every year. I had not put tomatoes into this particular bed for maybe 4-5 years....then I transplanted that volunteer from last years tomato bed, and after a week, it started showing those brown spots on the lower leaves...I am taking off every branch that shows those spots, but of course, I have introduced that soil into this bed, and I'm very upset with myself.
D'oh!
Should I take it out, and try to get a lot of soil from that area out with it, or is it 'too late'? Been in there several weeks now, not sure how quickly those spores or whatever would spread...
It is somewhat isolated from the other tomato plants by 2 clumps of chives between them.
what would you do?
The transplanted one is doing fairly well. I've removed the lower branches that were effected, and it is putting out flowers and the tops look nice. That is always the case with whatever disease this is. It affects the lower part of the plant, but the plants keep growing up top and are usually productive.
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Post by Mumsey on Jul 14, 2015 10:56:37 GMT -5
I would leave them be. Transplanting at this late date will slow their growth, transplant shock. Mine are looking the same despite my valiant efforts, but sometimes I think Mother Nature just takes her course no matter what you do! They will still produce.
There's a new challenge every year!
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Post by desertwoman on Jul 14, 2015 11:40:53 GMT -5
Always something new to learn and deal with.
If the upper part of the plant does well, it's tempting to just leave it be. But I think I would be inclined to move that transplanted volunteer back to where it came from for the rest of the season.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jul 14, 2015 12:03:30 GMT -5
Let us know what you will do. You have 2 very different thoughts . Whatever you do. It will be an experiment as LA would say.
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Post by tbird on Jul 14, 2015 12:16:41 GMT -5
I think I will leave as is.......digging up may just as well encourage the spreading as eliminating it. I checked again and it is completely shielded from direct contact with the other plants by the chives, at least at this size. the flower type on the transplant is definitely not the cherry tomato, so if it produces, will be something different.
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 14, 2015 12:51:53 GMT -5
Volunteers are never worth it in my opinion and can sometimes lead to problems so that is why I always pull them out.
Early blight spores can spread within just a few hours so it is probably not going to help to dig it out now. Some varieties are more susceptible than others but all of the rain this year really has not helped. Blight is a fungus and those spores love moisture.
I am getting some Early blight on my plants too. I cut off leaves every day.
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Post by ecsoehng on Jul 14, 2015 15:40:55 GMT -5
It is raining EVERY DAY, sigh. I cleaned out the blighted leaves and mulched everything to death with dry straw and now it is all soaked again. Plus the tomatoes are all splitting. I really need a week without rain.
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Post by datgirl on Jul 14, 2015 16:47:05 GMT -5
Brown, I remembered you saying that about your volunteers, so I have been pulling mine out. I must admit, I left one in the compost pile. My tomatoes are showing signs of blight too. There's just been too much rain.
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 14, 2015 17:08:39 GMT -5
I figure that I only have one growing season per year and it's not really all that long so I don't like to waste time on plants that I am not sure of. The only volunteers that I keep are flowers and dill.
Volunteer potatoes in particular can carry Late Blight which nearly wiped out my tomatoes one year so I don't take any chances. Volunteer tomatoes may or may not not carry blight but who knows what they crossed with so I like to grow only plants that I know what they are and that we like them.
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Post by Mumsey on Jul 14, 2015 17:53:45 GMT -5
The 4 volunteers I "saved" are doing great. Left them where they are growing and so far show no signs of blight. All the rest I pulled out or salvaged for Dad. I see new growth on the bottom of the affected plants. I have always had good, if not better, luck with volunteers. Weird.
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 14, 2015 18:11:04 GMT -5
I am sure that volunteers are absolutely fine most of the time. I just like a sure thing and don't like to take chances. Some people like volunteers better because they feel that they may be better adapted to their conditions but like I said, I just like to grow something that I am sure of.
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Post by Mumsey on Jul 14, 2015 19:00:29 GMT -5
I do know that one of the volunteers is "Sprite", a grape/cherry type clustering tomato. So sweet. I am happy about this one! I know it's not your run of the mill cherry because I never plant those.
And I like a surprise!
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Post by James on Jul 16, 2015 17:25:01 GMT -5
fatal error...... ????
No such thing. Hmmm, you may be a little late for long season tomatoes, but you can try some of the short season small fruited ones. Is it possible to get starts at the nursery this late in your area? Starts would do well.
Or, plant something else. Cucumbers? Green beans? Crookneck Squash? I think these would come on quick enough to give you a harvest?
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Post by James on Jul 17, 2015 0:02:14 GMT -5
Volunteer tomatoes?
Tomatoes are self fertile, IOW they usually fertilize themselves, therefore if your tomato is a standard variety, not a hybrid, saved seeds will give you the same type tomato next year. Hybrid tomatoes, not so, if you save hybrid seeds for planting next year you are likely to get a variety of fruits. That is if you plant several plants. The fruit on each plant will be the same, but the fruits on the different plants may vary. Any way, as noted above, some of those crosses are interesting. I have had some really good tomatoes from such crosses. (volunteers) Also some duds.
I have to add: I don't know that I have seen the diseases you folks talk about here at this high elevation cold plot. Sorry no advice.
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