This may seem like a really silly question, even to me, but I am wanting to know if Verticillium Wilt harms the fruit of the plant?
I spent ALL summer loving 3 tomato plants, looking SO forward to fresh BLT sandwiches! Well, one by one the poor little leaves and then the vines themselves began to wilt and die... and now, even though I have some fruit hanging on...
I am concerned that the disease may affect the toms too in some way?
I can't seem to find any info on-line, so thought I would inquire here to see if any of you garden experts that have dealt with the Wilt previously, know for certain if the fruit are sound enough to actually consume at this point?
Thanks so much in advance. My tum and my tomatoes appreciate your help!
It's not uncommon at this time of year for some leaves to start to yellow and drop and for the tomatoes to hang on. It's hard to say what is happening in your case without seeing it. You can try pruning back the foliage, as it just drains the energy of the plant. You at this point, you want all the engery to be directed toward the tomatoes, not the foliage.
You shouldn't let tomato plants get too high, either. If you don't cut them back they will keep growing and then fizzle out again misdirecting the energy away from supporting the fruit of the plant, which is the main goal. I hope that makes sense.
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Thanks for that info Abx... it is actually one I read earlier. I found out that this is caused by 2 soil borne fungi... hmmm. Not too sure I want more fungi in my system even though I also read it can't harm humans. Funny, I'm certain I have read that about ticks too.
I think the poor things are finished growing though.
Posted by Abxnomore (Member # 18936) on :
Great shot! Yes, you won't be getting any new growth.
But the tomatoes you have look fine. However, the soil looks very dry. Tomatoes need lots of water.
It has not been a good growing season in many areas. We had a lot of rain early on and that brings on fungus and not a lot of sun until recently.
You still get an A+ for effort. Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Yes... I sort of quit watering once I found out that overwatering can add to this disease. Plus, I didn't have much hope for any new fruit developing.
Thanks so much for the A+! At least my effort counts.
Seriously though, does anyone know if this fungi can possibly harm people? I'm not trying to be paranoid, but I just don't want to add to the already taxed system that I am dealing with... nor do I want to toss perfectly good fruit either.
Posted by Abxnomore (Member # 18936) on :
I don't think it will hurt you. Keep watering the plant. If the fungus attacks the tomatoes, you will know because they probably will not continue to thrive.
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
I'm almost sure it won't hurt you. I'm involved with some very avid gardeners.
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Thanks to you both! I just put in a call to my sister (who is a grower) for another perspective. Hopefully, she will know something for certain.
Posted by ping (Member # 6974) on :
LabRat (has thread over in Off Topics right now) is Mr. Veggies extraordinare. Give him a try.
ping "We are more than containers for Lyme"
Posted by ebbakarin (Member # 16362) on :
I'm a graduate student in plant pathology / farmer and can say with assurance that there's nothing to worry about in eating those tomatoes (and they look good!), so long as you didn't spray anything on them to control the disease.
It's not necessarily Verticillium; there are other pathogens that can cause wilts. They are all soil-borne fungi that infect roots and vascular (the water pipping) parts of the stem. So if you're worried about consuming fungi just don't eat the dirt
In the future don't recycle this soil or use the same source of soil for your garden as these fungi can survive for years in the dirt. In the future, over-watering and adding too many nutrients can make some wilts worse (depending upon what the problem is), but at this point your toms may be done for.
Happy gardening!
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Thank you Ebba! I just knew someone would be an expert here!
I'm quite sure this disease, whatever it is, came with the plants... as I only transplanted them deeply and directly into new miracle grow veggie pre-bagged soil and did not add any extra fert. Absolutely no chemicals either.
It has been a particularly cool season though, so that could have contributed to the lack of soil solarization. My zucchini died too. The cilantro went to seed and the red lettuce got too buggy.
Thanks for the suggestion to ask Labrat as well Ping.
No blue ribbons on the veggie crops this year! (hey... but that A+ was sort of a nice consolation prize)
Posted by wheever (Member # 9974) on :
There has been a bad blight for tomatoes this summer. Neatly wiped out the crop in the Northeast. It's called "early blight," and there is a copper organic powder you can use to stop it. The problem is that rain washes the powder off, so you have to keep reapplying it. I've been using it religiously and if the sun ever comes out we'll have loads of tomatoes. ;-)
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Hi Wheever,
Hoping your copper powder does the trick and the toms survive the blight!
After speaking with my sister, who looked up possible causes in several of her books, I came to the conclusion that it just isn't worth it to me to eat these little guys.
I keep hoping now, that our very prevalent tick magnet squirrels will find them and take them away... but so far, no takers yet. However, they have begun digging into the soil of the one surviving chive plant to bury who knows what! Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
Smart squirrel? If they don't want them I know I don't. LOL I would pitch the dirt, sterilize the pot and start again.
Posted by Nutmeg (Member # 7250) on :
Tomatoes growing on plants that are affected by fungal diseases are usually very small and not very tasty.
Also, I have heard that fungal diseases like these can be spread by leafhoppers (insects) traveling from infected plants to healthy ones. My neighbor heard that one at a garden center, so I don't know if that's true or not.
It was a great idea, though! Better luck next year.
I grow all my tomatoes in pots now (garden area is now too shady from the trees, and there is wilt in the soil) out in a sunnier part of the yard, and they do very well.
Nutmeg
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Dear Grower,
There is a bad disease hitting plants all over the country. Bad plants were sent out all over to retail markets too... and a warning later on was sent out.
Professional growers are losing a lot of their crops and are having to spray all summer to control it... IF they can.
We've lost some of ours.. about 1/3 of the tomato plants. We normally never grow them in pots.. but we were playing with them this year and put two plants in pots.
One got to be about 8 ft. high and was beautiful and had nice tomatoes. Then wham... dead as a door nail.
Sorry to see your pitiful plants poopin out on you... but I'll give you an A+ too for effort.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)