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Wichita, KS

What can cause this? This is the first year in over a decade that I have grown tomatoes. I have a plant that has great looking tomatoes on it, but just before they ripen, they start to split.

I have also noticed that many of the leaves are browning, and all of them have tiny brown dots. the leaves have curled, but the plant continues to grow and set fruit. What is this?

Here are some of the environmental factors out of my control...
1. It is very hot here, reaching 100F daily for about a month.
2. This plant is growing at my parent's home, which I visit almost daily, but the plant may not be watered on days I don't show up.
3. My father smokes 1-3 cigarettes per day, at least once in his back yard within 20 feet of the plant (possible tobacco virus?)
4. Plant could not be placed in the ground and grows in a 20 gallon container.

Any help is appreciated.

Toby

7/8/2004 11:29:58 AM

Benton Ky

Have you just had a rain on them? Sudden bursts of water with heat can cause this. Do the plants have a lot of foliage? Direct sun light is not good either. The brown dots sound like blight.

7/8/2004 12:59:34 PM

Wichita, KS

No there has been no rain since February (well, it sprinkled once). However, I have been making sure they get regular water lately. It is possible my parents weren't watering them as much as they said they were... "Uh, yeah. We've been watering it every day." My eyebrow is raised.

yes, the plant has lots of foliage and gets direct sunlight. If its blight, what do you do to fix it?

7/8/2004 1:58:51 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Some varieties are prone to splitting. Hold back on the watering, and see if things improve. If it is blight a fungicide should have been applied. Not sure I think once blight is in the plant it is there for good.

7/8/2004 6:51:40 PM

Wichita, KS

Well, I took both of your input to heart, and went searching for some internet photos of blight. What I have looks nothing like blight. Actually, it just looks more like leaf curl, which seems to be cured by slowing down on the watering (along with growth cracks). I still have those tiny brown flecks, though. The older leaves have turned a bronze color. They have just as pliable a texture as before the tiny spots showed up, they just look tan. I cut off the old leaves with the bronzing.

I am afraid I may tomato spotted wilt virus. The fruit doesn't have the yellow spots like the pictures I have seen, but the leaves look the way all the descriptions read. Could it be SWV, or am I just spending too much time looking for diseases to have?

7/9/2004 1:46:05 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

What variety are you growing? When you water are you splashing water that has come in contact with the soil up in the lower leaves. This is why they recommend tomatoes having a good mulch. Tomatoes are very prone to leaf diseases. I mulch mine with either plastic or a landscape fabric. Remove lower segments that may come in contact with soil. Some leaves will still get the curl or blight but this is what I get for growing heirloom tomatoes, instead of some Burpee Hybrids that are resistant to disease. I personaly am willing to loose a few plants for taste and quality.

7/9/2004 2:17:59 AM

Sask, Canada

Well I'll throw my two cents in.

By the sounds of it both the splitting and the browning of the leaves is caused by the same thing, over watering.

You mention 1) it has been very hot and 2) you are growing it in a 20 gallon bucket. This leads me to believe your nutrients are locked up in the soil caused by over watering or in other words your drowning the plant and in a bucket you aren't going to have that much nutrients. Every day is way to much water, try twice a week and no more than 4L per time. Since your plant continues to set fruit and grow you can rule out any disease.

It may look worse before it gets better but cut back on the water and start adding some miracle grow asap plus a little fish emulsion would help, keep it at an even number if you are setting fruit go with a 20-20-20 at 45ml per 4L and 45ml of fish. If the plant is looking really poor you may have to opt out of setting any more fruit for a few weeks and get the plant back in shape, in that case hit it with nitrogen to get the leaves healthier. Say 8-0-0 and use water saluble (no granular) again 45ml. One feeding only per week the other one just water.

If the temps continue in the 100F opt out of adding extra water, just pick up your 20 gallon bucket and move it out of direct sun light during the hottest time of the day.

Hope this helps,
TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

7/9/2004 3:29:04 AM

Back of Beyond

I agree with what's been said so far. And, since I am located in a very similar climate (SoCal) I will add a couple things from our experiences.

Skin splits in tomatoes many times are indicative of inconsistencies in watering regiments. The plant doesn't have it, then gets a bit and takes up too much resulting in splits. Try to even out your watering schedule. Also, a 20 gallon pot will dry very quickly in direct sun and high temperatures. For those of you in other areas our relative humidity rarely exceeds 50%. Try moving the plant to a location with a little shade - preferably afternoon shade.

As for the browning/tanning lower leaves - this is natural around here. Cut them off when they dry out and don't worry about it. The black spots and curled leaves are likely related to the watering issues and aren't the end of the world. Refer to Ernie's feeding recommendations.

BTW, you didn't mention what type of tomato you had and whether it was determinate or indeterminate. Makes a difference - particularly for potted tomatoes.

7/9/2004 11:13:45 AM

You've had lots of good advice here, and I'm no expert tomato grower, but I do know that not enought calcium can cause fruit to split. Since it's so hot, I would also guess that it's due to inconsistent moisture...dry, wet, etc. But you may want to try throwing on a couple tablespoons of gypsum. I have heard a 1/4 cup worked into the growing area is good. But since you are growing in pots, less will be sufficient.

7/9/2004 1:06:39 PM

Wichita, KS

The variety is "Early Goliath" and is supposed to be indeterminate. So far it has grown the sweetest tomatoes I have ever tasted-ever! This is how the tag reads:

Early Goliath Tomato
Luscious 8oz fruit; high yields in just 58 days.
Disease resistance: VFFNTASt.
HOW TO GROW: Plant in full sun 24-36" apart in rows

I bought this plant at Lowes. I have been cutting off the lower leaves as they brown up. Hoppette's right, the humidity is low... today its 18%, and thetemperature has cooled down to 88F.

I dont normally use Miracle Grow, but I have a container of it that I've been wonder where to use. This looks like the spot, especially since the tomato is contained in a pot. I'll go move it right now, too. I'll see if I can find a place with afternoon shade.

Thanks for the help. I'll try to keep you updated on what happens next.

7/13/2004 5:55:56 PM

Wichita, KS

what's VFFNTASt mean? I know this much:

Fusarium Wilt (F)
Verticillium Wilt (V)
Root Nematodes (N)
Tobacco Mosaic (T)

So, what is the extra F, the A, and the St. stand for?

7/13/2004 5:57:16 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Tomato virus acronyms:

TAV : Tomato Aspermy Virus
TBRV : Tomato Black Ring Virus - S, G
TBSV : Tomato Bushy Stunt Virus
TCSV : Tomato Chlorotic Spot Virus
TEV : Tobacco Etch Virus
TMV : Tobacco Mosaic Virus
TMV-c : Tobacco Mosaic Virus-c
TOSPO : Tospovirus Group
TRSV : Tobacco Ringspot Virus
TRV : Tobacco Rattle Virus
TSV : Tobacco Streak Virus
TSWV : Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus
TVMV : Tobacco Vein Mottling Virus
ToMV : Tomato Mosaic Virus
ToRSV : Tomato Ringspot Virus

Here's a link to a site with more. But none look right.

http://www.tpp.uq.edu.au/disease/acronyms.htm

7/13/2004 6:33:17 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Here they are:

Disease resistance Codes:

V - Verticillium wilt
F - Fusarium Wilt
FF - Fusarium, Races 1 & 2
N - Nematodes
T - Tobacco Mosaic virus
A - Alternaria Stem Canker
St - Stemphylium Gray Leaf Spot

7/13/2004 6:35:38 PM

Wichita, KS

WOW. I had no idea there were that many known tomato diseases. The site is bookmarked now.

Thanks, Steve!

7/13/2004 6:59:38 PM