Basil and tomato diseases?

[troad]

Recently bought some Bonnie brand basil plants from a local nursery. When I picked them out I noticed one stem was discolored and I thought perhaps damping off was the problem. I selected a different container that had all healthy looking plants. That was Saturday May 6th.
Today all off the plants look very sickly. Some have blackened withered stems and have collapsed. Those still standing have dark gray dead looking areas on the leaves and I am thinking Late Blight. Do basil plants get Late Blight?
The plants are in a container on the deck away from my tomatoes. I am about to send them to the garbage unless there is another possible answer to the problem.

First time growing it and for sure the last time I buy any Bonnie brand plants if it is Late Blight. Seems I recall last years blight problems back East were associated with Bonnie plants??

[husker nana]

Here is a picture of Basil blight.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=128061773

Here is a map of reported cases of Late Blight.
http://www.usablight.org/?q=map

On the same site is a place on how to report cases in your area.
http://www.usablight.org/?q=report

[RayR]

Basil blight is caused by a form of downy mildew, not the early blight and late blight that affect tomatoes. Other fungal diseases like gray mold can harm basil.
Too much watering and constant damp conditions seem to encourage fungal problems. Basil can be also be attacked by soil born diseases like Verticillium or Fusarium wilt.
Basil likes hot, dry sunny conditions the best, moist soil but not constant wet feet. Basil does badly in cool/cold weather. It's not cold hardy at all, even the mildest frost will cause the leaves to turn black and kill the plant.

I see that big box stores keep their plants exposed outside in cold wet spring weather, that's a death sentence to basil. If the cold doesn't get them, some fungal disease will. If you're going to buy plants, buy them from a reputable nursery that keeps them in the greenhouse.

Best advise I can give is grow your own, its easy to start indoors under lights and grows quickly outdoors in containers or in the ground when the weather is warmer. Seeds are cheap and you can get mucho basil plants from a packet of seeds.

[akgardengirl]

Mine suffered the same symptoms after forgetting a tray out in the greenhouse instead of bringing them in at night like I had previously. They got too cold.
Sue

[feldon30]

I used to think starting Basil was difficult.

I start with a clean/sterilized seed starting tray or pot, sterile seed starting mix, a clean spray mister bottle, basil seeds, and plastic/saran wrap.

I moisten the soil with water, then scatter the seeds on top, and then mist the seeds with the spray bottle. I cover with the saran wrap and put a rubber band or something to hold the saran wrap in place. I put it in a sunny windowsill and in a few days they germinate. Then they go under lights for a few days, and then outside.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Originally Posted by feldon30

I used to think starting Basil was difficult.

Yea, it is easy isn't it.
I've grown it for several years and it always pops right up from seed.

The only disease I have experienced with basil is big fat rabbits.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by BigBrownDogHouse

Yea, it is easy isn't it.
I've grown it for several years and it always pops right up from seed.

The only disease I have experienced with basil is big fat rabbits.

My only basil problem has been Japanese Beetles.

[fortyonenorth]

Fusarium has become a huge problem for basil growers in the last decade. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/S...riumbasil.html

[troad]

Thanks to all who replied. The plants don't look like the downy mildew blight. I think Ray hit on the head. The weather has been damp wet and cold. When it warms I will try growing some from seeds. Since the plants were from Bonnie I imagine they experienced some cold weather on the way here. Live and learn.
Will try Feldon's method if we ever get dried out here.

Len