# Tomato diagnosis



## PrepN4Good (Dec 23, 2011)

I got an email from a BOL member who planted maters at the location, saying the leaves are starting to curl & turn yellow. Haven't seen them myself so can only go by her description. I don't think lack of water is the issue. Any ideas? :dunno:


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

iron deficiency??


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Are they over-watering them?


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## PrepN4Good (Dec 23, 2011)

LincTex said:


> Are they over-watering them?


I wondered that too...they have them on an auto sprinkler since there are times when no one is there. The beans were turning yellow, I told them to cut back on the water.

Hooch - I also considered a deficiency of some kind...I usually plant mine with oyster shells, but that wouldn't help with iron (I don't think)...


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## Hooch (Jul 22, 2011)

or maybe its too much iron..I had a simular issue years ago and I think its too much iron..dang memory..Ill have to look it up...


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

My book says Verticillium Wilt, and Nematodes will increase the susceptibility. Pull and destroy affected plants, remove crop debris in the Fall, and make sure the soil gets plenty of Sun.


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## cantinawest (Nov 9, 2011)

camo2460 said:


> My book says Verticillium Wilt, and Nematodes will increase the susceptibility. Pull and destroy affected plants, remove crop debris in the Fall, and make sure the soil gets plenty of Sun.


I have found this to be a common suggestion on the internet as well.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

This page is great for diagnosing tomato problems. It has real life color pictures of the diseases/ problems. When you click on the picture that looks like your problem plant, it tells you what the problem is & how to fix it. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/problem-solvers/tomato-problem-solver/leaves/


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

If the problem is nematodes you can pull the plant and see the evidence in the roots, they will be swolen and misshapen. With Verticillium Wilt, the leaves of the plants will yellow and die individually or in branches and not affect the entire plant uniformly as a whole. Dont know if that is relevant to the problem but it could be helpful.

I've been having a problem with my tomatoes this year, the leaves will start to curl on an otherwise healthy looking plant then as time passes the plants will start to yellow(uniformly over the entire plant) then die.

It has shown up only on 2 verities that I purchased from a local green house, my heirlooms(I started from seeds) which are planted in the same general location but seperated by about 30 feet are all healthy. I'm thinking the problem is "Leaf Curl Virus" that must have originated at the greenhouse, I had the same problem last year with 2 plants(out of about 150) and both plants came from the same greenhouse. The solution to Leaf Curl Virus is to destroy the plant and fumigate the soil(I spray it with bleach).

This spring, to help prevent any tomato problems I scoarched the entire areas that I grew tomatoes in with a propane torch then sprayed the areas with copper sulfate and let the rain wash it into the soil. I also torched the wire cages to kill anything that may have been on them. I think this is the last year I am going to buy flats of tomato plants, gonna start everything from seeds from now on and they will all be heirlooms.


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## PrepN4Good (Dec 23, 2011)

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. I'm going up to the BOL this weekend so can see for myself. If I have to pull them up, I will most likely give up on maters for this year; this is the 2nd batch, since the first was killed by frost.


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## Coastal (Jun 27, 2013)

I'm going with overwatering, pull one up and look at the roots, if they are brown/black they are rotting and it is too wet. White roots mean they are happy. Try a foliar spray with some fertilizer that is meant for spraying to help bring them back, and maybe a bit of SuperThrive the next time they need water.


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## millertimedoneright (May 13, 2013)

Hard to diagnose without pictures but it could be nitrogen, calcium, or iron deficiency. Could be over or under watering. I always amend my soil late fall or early winter that way after planting I can usually mark the nutrient deficiencies off my list. The majority of all problems besides disease can be solved by your choice of soil. 


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I pulled up several of my sick and dying plants today and took them to the Agricultural Extension Office for a diagnosis, the Master Gardener wasn't there so I talked to the County Agent. He ruled out nematodes, blight, herbicide and the rest of the common problems and agreed with me that it was likely Leaf Curl Virus.

Got the paperwork to send samples off to TAMU(Texas A&M University) for diagnosis and treatment, its going to cost me $35.00 but now almost half of my nursery bought tomatoes are dead or dying so it will be a good deal. It may be locking the gate after the cows got out but I'll have the info for next year.

Tomorrow I'll take some pics and post them, if the symptoms are a match for the problem in the OP it could save PrepN4Good some headaches.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

cantinawest said:


> I have found this to be a common suggestion on the internet as well.


I had this last year--may have it this year--moved raised bed and filled with new top soil.
Noticed one tomato plant wilting yesterday.
Have watered to see if it remedied the situation. I did notice a little light colored spot on a leaf or two.

My neighbor had this and didn't do anything but plant in same spot--so, his wilt could have spread to my tomatoes.
I had tomatoes in 3 different spots and all were affected, but all plants came from the same nursery as did 2 neighbors that had the wilt.

I am so sad because my raised bed is pretty and plants are so vibrant.

Update: yes, my tomatoes are diseased. My neighbor just discovered 3 of his plants--all different types of tomatoes, so it is his soil, not the tomato.
We can not have tomatoes for 4-5 years till this leaves the ground.
It did no good moving my raised bed--the disease was in the wood.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

JayJay said:


> , so it is his soil, not the tomato.
> We can not have tomatoes for 4-5 years till this leaves the ground.
> It did no good moving my raised bed--the disease was in the wood.


Soil can be sterilized. I'll bet the wood can be, as well (or at least plastic covered)


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Copper Sulfate works pretty well for fungus in the soil and spraying down the soil with bleach will kill off most anything else to include the bennificials but fresh live compost will replace them.

You can also burn plant remains on the affected ground and dont forget to pitch your tomato cages onto the fire to sterilize them also.

My battle is still ongoing.


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## millertimedoneright (May 13, 2013)

Remove all soil. Bleach ground under boxes along with wood. Use extreme heat(fire or stove) to sterilize new soil and amend with sterilized compost and natural nutrients. 


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