Oh well & tried once again, but it doesn't look good.
I planted early here in Sydney & thought that I had all those diseases
beaten...
But now when a lot of the toms are getting nice & plump the plants are
developing that brownish colour in the stems.
This usually means the whole plants will die within days.
I have done all the right things, ie not planting in the same place, keeping
up the water & nutrients (don't use too much nitrogen) & have given them
potash in liquid form.
I REAALLLY want some home grown/nice tasting toms.
What can I do???
I have some newer plants 'Rouge De Marmande', any chance that thes will turn
out OK?
Pat

PatC wrote:
Oh well & tried once again, but it doesn't look good.
I planted early here in Sydney & thought that I had all those diseases
beaten...
But now when a lot of the toms are getting nice & plump the plants are
developing that brownish colour in the stems.
This usually means the whole plants will die within days.
I have done all the right things, ie not planting in the same place, keeping
up the water & nutrients (don't use too much nitrogen) & have given them
potash in liquid form.
I REAALLLY want some home grown/nice tasting toms.
What can I do???
I have some newer plants 'Rouge De Marmande', any chance that thes will turn
out OK?
Pat


Latest trick Get some thin copper wire and pierce each plant through
the stems. It may give it immunity to certain viruses.
Im trying this myself this year, and I'm going to do this today...

PatC wrote:
Oh well & tried once again, but it doesn't look good.
I planted early here in Sydney & thought that I had all those diseases
beaten...

I gather that this year has been bad for tomatoes in Sydney and
Melbourne, YMMV.

"Terryc" wrote in message
...
PatC wrote:
Oh well & tried once again, but it doesn't look good.
I planted early here in Sydney & thought that I had all those diseases
beaten...

I gather that this year has been bad for tomatoes in Sydney and
Melbourne, YMMV.

Not just this year, I posted a few times before & have had none for the past
3 years

"Jonno" wrote in message
...
PatC wrote:
Oh well & tried once again, but it doesn't look good.
I planted early here in Sydney & thought that I had all those diseases
beaten...
But now when a lot of the toms are getting nice & plump the plants are
developing that brownish colour in the stems.
This usually means the whole plants will die within days.
I have done all the right things, ie not planting in the same place,
keeping
up the water & nutrients (don't use too much nitrogen) & have given them
potash in liquid form.
I REAALLLY want some home grown/nice tasting toms.
What can I do???
I have some newer plants 'Rouge De Marmande', any chance that thes will
turn
out OK?
Pat


Latest trick Get some thin copper wire and pierce each plant through
the stems. It may give it immunity to certain viruses.
Im trying this myself this year, and I'm going to do this today...

Hi
I think I may have been the one that posted that tip to start with & it
worked for a short while.

PatC wrote:

Not just this year, I posted a few times before & have had none for the past
3 years

Are you planting in the same spot each year? That isn't good as it
allows the pest species to build up each year.

Did you put on lots of organic matter like cow/chicken/mushroom/etc
compost? OTOH, you can put easily too much chemical fertiliser on?

Tested the soil PH?

Watering or waiting for rain?

PatC wrote:

Hi
I think I may have been the one that posted that tip to start with & it
worked for a short while.

You might have a trace element shortage. Get some real citrus mix (not
the plant food mix) and try adding that, or some other trace element stuff.


Someone purchased a bag of "Citrus Plant food". turned out to be
basically a cheap fertiliser with little trace elements in it, so rather
expensive for what it does. Plus it comes with added cadium, lead and
mercury. Really great. Now to educate someone to read the label before
she buys and of course, it means the trolley pusher/bag carrier will
haveto stop sleeping on the job too {:-).

"Terryc" wrote in message
...
PatC wrote:

Not just this year, I posted a few times before & have had none for the
past
3 years

Are you planting in the same spot each year? That isn't good as it
allows the pest species to build up each year.

Did you put on lots of organic matter like cow/chicken/mushroom/etc
compost? OTOH, you can put easily too much chemical fertiliser on?

Tested the soil PH?

Watering or waiting for rain?

Terri
No different spot each year & no don't go overboard on chemical fertilisers
either. I do apply phosphate as they are growing & some diluted fish
emulsion every on or two weeks, the rest of the time I just give them water.
Pat

PatC wrote:
"Terryc" wrote in message
...
PatC wrote:

Not just this year, I posted a few times before & have had none for the
past
3 years
Are you planting in the same spot each year? That isn't good as it
allows the pest species to build up each year.

Did you put on lots of organic matter like cow/chicken/mushroom/etc
compost? OTOH, you can put easily too much chemical fertiliser on?

Tested the soil PH?

Watering or waiting for rain?

Terri
No different spot each year & no don't go overboard on chemical fertilisers
either. I do apply phosphate as they are growing & some diluted fish
emulsion every on or two weeks, the rest of the time I just give them water.
Pat




Try mulching them and avoiding watering the leaves.
There is a time delay when the temperature is just right for certain
fungi attacks, and this then causes the browning of leaves.
(Tabacco mosiac wilt or some such name) virus or such is also a possible
problem.
Tomato dust and avoid stressing the plants by forgetting to water to
little or too much.
Damn thrips are a major hasle here in Melbourne and get me as well as
the tomatoes, could be harbouring the pest. How do you get rid of them
easily? A yellow card with oil on it seems to work but is ineffective as
there are far too many of the little beggars.
Theres no solution to thrips execpt grow them hydroponically in an
enclosed glasshouse....Even then the soil needs to be sterilised as the
growers do.... It never used to be a problem....

Just wondering if the stakes used to tie tomatoes up could be harboring
last years diseases?
Just in case, mine are old and short, (a bit like me these days, but
dont mention the naughty bits) and rotten. (thats me too!)grin! I will
replace them today.
Cant upset my Black Russian. Will also remove lower branches and use
them as cuttings....




PatC wrote:
"Terryc" wrote in message
...
PatC wrote:

Not just this year, I posted a few times before & have had none for the
past
3 years
Are you planting in the same spot each year? That isn't good as it
allows the pest species to build up each year.

Did you put on lots of organic matter like cow/chicken/mushroom/etc
compost? OTOH, you can put easily too much chemical fertiliser on?

Tested the soil PH?

Watering or waiting for rain?

Terri
No different spot each year & no don't go overboard on chemical fertilisers
either. I do apply phosphate as they are growing & some diluted fish
emulsion every on or two weeks, the rest of the time I just give them water.
Pat