If the roots were gnarled then it was nematodes

If the roots were normal but not small then it is a case of not planting
your seedlings deep enough in the ground

You had a case of wilt - basically the soil contains a fungus that blocks
the vascular system of the plant - so the roots appear healthy but then the
plant up and dies, basically becuase the plant is choked off.

I rotate by layering a good 4-6 inches of mulch over the soil I have and I
plant right into the mulch, I have a very wooded lot so leaves are not an
issue.

DO NOT repeat DO NOT till the mulch in - just lay it down - you are
basically covering the soil diseases down below the mulch if you till it it
just mixes it up again

Then plant the tomato plant in a trench not a hole, so that at least 6-8
inches of the green part of the plant is buried

then use wall o waters

in the hole put 10-10-10 and dolomitic lime

Avoid top watering the plants, water at the base of the plant

You do not need disease resistant variations.

by the time the roots hit the lower soil your tomatos will be over 7ft with
plenty of fruit and the roots will be over 2 feet long, plenty to support
the plant even if it does get wilt.

Tomatolord
"Daniel B. Martin" wrote in message
k.net...
I've always accepted blight as inevitable, so I plant plenty of tomato
seedlings anticipating attrition. Cultivars are chosen for their disease
resistance. This year they were Celebrity, 4th of July, Early Girl,
Mountain Pride, and Lillian's Yellow.

This past week, after the heavy rains brought by hurricane Ernesto, almost
all of my tomato plants died suddenly. Limp leaves, then brown dry
leaves, then a dead plant.

When the dead plants were pulled they had a smaller root structure than
normal. What might account for that? Was lack of roots a symptom or a
cause of death?

I see no vole tunnels. My garden has always had crickets but this year
they are more numerous than ever. Do crickets harm tomato roots?

We always read about crop rotation. My garden is 35'x35' and I rotate as
much as practical within that space. With tomatoes, eggplant, and sweet
peppers being in the same family, is effective crop rotation possible in a
small garden?

Daniel B. Martin