Six weeks of neglect - now tomato explosion

ScottinAtlanta · June 9, 2012

Folks, I planted out 100 tomatoes in March and April, and left for almost 7 weeks. The only thing that happened was that they were watered once a week - no sprays, no staking, no ferts, nothing else.

I got back today and found probably 100 tomatoes hanging on heavy vines. Only 3 bushes hit with wilt or yellowing. The big winners are these:

Bradley - big green globes
Prue - dark green medium globes with little teats
Super Sioux - beautiful light green globes
Ailsa Craig - plum size dark green globes (a free gift pack from Tania)
Cherokee Green - large oblates
Indian Stripe
Lime Green Salad - vigorous little dwarf with big fruit

I was surprised to see that Red Zebra is apparently a pear-shape cherry? I have two plants with the same cherries, from an eBay seller. Am I right that these are not Red Zebra's? See pics below.

I picture the yellowing and wilt below, and would appreciate your views. Also, pictured are some of the nice tomatoes on my vines.

I would not have grown these tomatoes without your guidance on this site. Many thanks.

Worth1 · June 9, 2012

Scott, nothing like being gone for a while and coming home to your plants.
It always startles me.

Worth

beatpoet · June 9, 2012

That doesn't look like red zebra to me. I grew it last year and it was a round tomato

ScottinAtlanta · June 9, 2012

a few more pics - Bradley, Prue, Aunt Molly's

b54red · June 9, 2012

Scott it looks like that is probably fusarium affecting the plant in the 8th picture you posted; but from all the others it looks like it is not much of a problem. I'll try to post a picture of one of my beds where fusarium is rampant so you can be happy to have such a minor problem.

Looks like you are going to have a bountiful harvest. You were very lucky the worms didn't move in while you were away. We had a few days of rainy weather a couple of weeks ago and I didn't go out and check my plants for 3 or 4 days and in that short time had about 20 plants nearly defoliated by worms. I don't even want to think what they could have done in 7 weeks. Good luck with the rest of your season.

babice · June 9, 2012

B54 - is there any possibility of getting fusarium about 7 days after plant out on plants potted into never-before-used potting soil? The turning in of the leaves and wimpy look is what's happening to some of the ones I just planted. I really just don't get it and am totally unsure what to do. It doesn't appear to have happened to the rest of the babies that are still sitting out on my deck waiting to be planted.

Dewayne mater · June 9, 2012

Dude that is an excellent looking harvest getting ready to happen. Nice clean set up you got. Congrats.

Dewayne mater

lakelady · June 9, 2012

looks great Scott, love the commentary on your pictures! For being gone 7 weeks, it looks pretty darn good to me, hope the wilt/yellowing is minor for you.

rsg2001 · June 9, 2012

Babice, in fusarium, you see entire branches turn yellow scattered randomly throughout the plant. Also, it's doubtful after seven days you would be getting fusarium symptoms in fresh soil.

b54red · June 9, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by babice

B54 - is there any possibility of getting fusarium about 7 days after plant out on plants potted into never-before-used potting soil? The turning in of the leaves and wimpy look is what's happening to some of the ones I just planted. I really just don't get it and am totally unsure what to do. It doesn't appear to have happened to the rest of the babies that are still sitting out on my deck waiting to be planted.

Are they dying or just wilting? If they are just wilting a bit of Miracle Grow will usually perk them up.

I get bacterial wilt frequently on newly planted tomatoes, especially if I bury them deep and water them. That sounds more like what is happening to you but I don't know if you could get it in clean potting soil. What you described doesn't sound sound like fusarium at all.

babice · June 9, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

Are they dying or just wilting? If they are just wilting a bit of Miracle Grow will usually perk them up.

I get bacterial wilt frequently on newly planted tomatoes, especially if I bury them deep and water them. That sounds more like what is happening to you but I don't know if you could get it in clean potting soil. What you described doesn't sound sound like fusarium at all.

Maybe they are just wilting. Thanks B54! Sorry I piggy-backed on your thread!

Skaggydog · June 11, 2012

Good thing you didn.t have my brother-in-law taking care of them.

June 9, 2012	#3
beatpoet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 214	That doesn't look like red zebra to me. I grew it last year and it was a round tomato __________________ "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley

June 9, 2012	#8
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	looks great Scott, love the commentary on your pictures! For being gone 7 weeks, it looks pretty darn good to me, hope the wilt/yellowing is minor for you. __________________ Antoniette

June 9, 2012	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Scott, nothing like being gone for a while and coming home to your plants. It always startles me. Worth

June 9, 2012	#5
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Scott it looks like that is probably fusarium affecting the plant in the 8th picture you posted; but from all the others it looks like it is not much of a problem. I'll try to post a picture of one of my beds where fusarium is rampant so you can be happy to have such a minor problem. Looks like you are going to have a bountiful harvest. You were very lucky the worms didn't move in while you were away. We had a few days of rainy weather a couple of weeks ago and I didn't go out and check my plants for 3 or 4 days and in that short time had about 20 plants nearly defoliated by worms. I don't even want to think what they could have done in 7 weeks. Good luck with the rest of your season.

June 9, 2012	#6
babice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Alabama Posts: 643	B54 - is there any possibility of getting fusarium about 7 days after plant out on plants potted into never-before-used potting soil? The turning in of the leaves and wimpy look is what's happening to some of the ones I just planted. I really just don't get it and am totally unsure what to do. It doesn't appear to have happened to the rest of the babies that are still sitting out on my deck waiting to be planted.

June 9, 2012	#7
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Dude that is an excellent looking harvest getting ready to happen. Nice clean set up you got. Congrats. Dewayne mater

June 9, 2012	#9
rsg2001 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Zone 6 Posts: 479	Babice, in fusarium, you see entire branches turn yellow scattered randomly throughout the plant. Also, it's doubtful after seven days you would be getting fusarium symptoms in fresh soil.

June 11, 2012	#12
Skaggydog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Southern California Posts: 131	Good thing you didn.t have my brother-in-law taking care of them.