We had blight last summer. Any resistant strains advised?

[Elliot]

All of our tomato plants turned yellow and died in early August. Are there any blight resistant strains out there? All of my plants were VNF resistant

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Elliot

All of our tomato plants turned yellow and died in early August. Are there any blight resistant strains out there? All of my plants were VNF resistant

Elliot Blight is a general word that many use to describe a diseased plant, but one has to have a rough idea of what specific diseases of the foliage are prevalent in your area.

On Long Island near Hicksville there is an excellent nursery that sells plant I'm sure you know of them. And don't l also remember that you had to pre order varieties but when got there to pick up your plants they were gone? This was quite a few years ago.

You say VNF tolerant,but Verticillium Nematodes and Fusarium are not common in your area. And they are soil borne diseases as well.

The most common foliage diseases in your area are

Early Blight, Alternaria solani,fungal, which can appear either early OR late in the season

Septoria Leaf Spot,fungal

Bacterial Speck and Bacterial Spot.

There are good preventive measures you can take to help prevent the fungal ones, and while some use copper or Mancozeb for the bacterial ones,in reports back I've seen, they aren't that very effective.

Carolyn

[Elliot]

thanks Caroline.

I am wondering if this might help. My next door neighbor is putting in a swimming pool. Is it possible that the chlorine vapors might kill the fungi on my plants????????

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Elliot

thanks Caroline.

I am wondering if this might help. My next door neighbor is putting in a swimming pool. Is it possible that the chlorine vapors might kill the fungi on my plants????????

No, chlorine vapors coming from a swimming pool are not going to kill fungi on your plants and how do I know this?

I used to live at an apt complex where there were two pools one for the small kids and a huge one for the older kids and adults.The life guards were constantly testing the waters to be sure they were adequatley chlorinated,since, excuse me, but peeing in pools is not good and the moms would put their small kids in the small pool with just diapers on and they would poop in the pool.

So no,I would not rely on any chlorine vapors killing the fungi on your plants,your first attack should be helping to prevent the fungal foliage pathogens from even being able to attach to the specific receptors,which are on the upper leaf surface.

Carolyn

[Elliot]

Last year I soaked the roots in one of the antifungals the nursery sold me. No avail

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by Elliot

Last year I soaked the roots in one of the antifungals the nursery sold me. No avail

That's because the fungus resides on the leaves and does its nasty business there. Dunking roots in antifungals will do absolutely nothing on foliage fungal diseases. It's like taking an antibiotic for a cold, won't do a dang thing.

[Gardeneer]

For certain foliar diseases chlorine spray is effective. Grey mold is one that I know of.
But that is diluted chlorine ( about 7 oz per gallon of water) not chlorine vapor.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

For certain foliar diseases chlorine spray is effective. Grey mold is one that I know of.
But that is diluted chlorine ( about 7 oz per gallon of water) not chlorine vapor.

And what is chlorine vapor?

https://www.google.com/search?q=chlo...&bih=788&dpr=1

I would not spray anything with chlorine on my plants regardless of what the fungal foliage disease is since you mentioned grey mold, it would be true for other fungal foliage diseases as well.

Carolyn

[edweather]

Please spray with a fungicide, it might help a lot. I use Daconil as mid season approaches. Just guessing, but on Long Island you're probably safe thru June, but I'd definitely start spraying no later than early July.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

And what is chlorine vapor?

https://www.google.com/search?q=chlo...&bih=788&dpr=1

I would not spray anything with chlorine on my plants regardless of what the fungal foliage disease is since you mentioned grey mold, it would be true for other fungal foliage diseases as well.

Carolyn

I don[t know exactly what "Chlorine Vapor " is but I think it is what we smell from any any chlorine solution. That must be a gas/vapor form to reach our nose. hehe
About spraying chlorine / bleach mix, There are who use it and recommend it. One is our own Bill in this forum.
I have used it personally and found it effective on Grey Mold.
We know for sure that bleach kills mold. But as fungal spray it is use in 7 OZ per gallon. That is regular household bleach I am referring to.

[sic transit gloria]

As you probably know, hybrid varieties get various resistance labels because they get trialed and tested for resistance, whereas heirlooms have no such nomenclature, because no one is paying to have it done (that I know of). That means some varieties may, and probably do, have resistance to various diseases. Anecdotally, Neves Azorean Red has shown resistance to Fusarium Wilt and Septoria Leaf Spot not only my garden, but in a friend's garden who is 40 miles away (NE Kansas). He had a telling situation where in his raised beds, ALL of the other varieties (all heirlooms) had succumbed to FW, but NAR was chugging right along. So, take it fwiw.

[gdaddybill]

You might want to avoid Pink Girl. It seems to be an Early Blight magnet-very vigorous and loaded up with pretty, just okay tomatoes. We had one and a Big Beef sliced up for a BLTs last night. The Big Beef had better flavor and texture for us. Pink Girl was a bit mushy.