Disease Complications With Heirloom Tomatoes

greyfurball
greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

Yes, some of us just live in a climate where early blight and/or late blight are our constant companions... it just seems like it doesn't care how much preventative care and on-going seasonal care we do.

And I'm serious when I say I believe I have gave more time and attention (in the last 4 years since I started gardening) to trying to reduce this problem each and every Summer than I have done on any other problem my whole life.

@chimboodle04 and I were having a discussion last week on another thread about this problem. We both have the same type of climate which breeds this disease.

Yesterday I was listening to another 20 year gardener who mentioned she has reduced this problem in her garden by switching from heirloom seeds to a hybrid variety which has been bred specifically to reduce/eliminate this problem.

When you think about this that actually does make sense it might work.

I am always careful about falling into the GMO trap and confirming my seeds/plants etc. are from an organic source but a hybrid is not a gmo seed. The only downfall with this type of seed I know of is seed saving is a waste of time because you will not be able to guarantee the continuation of the line in future generations.

So has anyone else tried hybrids for this reason and have had success?

Comments

  • kbmbillups1
    kbmbillups1 Posts: 1,390 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Early blight is a BIG problem where I live as well. Every year no matter what type of tomatoes I plant blight wins. This year I made a huge trench and filled it with veggie scraps, compost, newspaper, etc and planted my tomatoes on the other side of the trench. They did so well! The best ever! They were so tall I had to build a kind of arch so I could train them to grow down the other side or I'd never be able to reach the tons of tomatoes. I was so excited AND then the blight came. I alternated spraying baking soda and hydrogen peroxide on them and ever tried neem oil. They lasted longer than ever before but sadly the blight won. Out of 9 plants I have 3 left with a few leaves each, 1 tomato, and a few blossoms. I have 3 volunteers that came up in another bed that are still going strong even though late blight has started in on them. All in all I had enough tomatoes for the entire summer but would have loved to have gotten many more. I'm planting greens in that spot soon. I would love to learn more things to try to keep blight at bay or if a certain type of tomato is actually resistant as well.

  • greyfurball
    greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

    @kbmbillups1 yes I can relate.

    As I mentioned @chimboodle04 and I were having this conversation on my Hardneck vs Softneck discussion just last week (it came up because of garlic being a companion plant to garlic). Read the whole thread the whole way thru because once you get into it you will see we were talking about tomatoes and the blight problem most of the time.

    Then if you have any comments or suggestions feel free to chime in here. Thanks

  • Obiora E
    Obiora E Posts: 517 ✭✭✭✭

    @greyfurball For most of the years that I have grown tomatoes (all heirloom) I have companion planted with different Basil varieties. Basil and tomatoes are supposed to be symbiotic when planted near each other and I just saw an article that said it can help prevent diseases in tomatoes.

    I too live in a climate where diseases can be common but I typically have few issues with it. I try to make sure, if needed, there is adequate air circulation to and between the leaves and fruit as well.

  • greyfurball
    greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

    @Obiora E yes all of what you say I already do because I know tomatoes is my biggest problem area in my garden. And it is all because of my climate.

    I also have an entire list of companion plants I give to my tomato bed (I have 3 beds which I rotate them to each year, never the same bed.) They are given the constant prunings to increase air circulation, safety measures are taken to prevent water splash-up, they have their own feeding and disease maintenance schedule and on and on.

    Actually my tomatoes have a 21 point checklist which I use every year, many on that checklist is used every week/every month etc. to make sure I can get a decent harvest. But this year was different, just not the climate... it just wasn't the climate which was different. Sometimes I might have a problem plant or two and to me that's normal. But to have all 24 bushes a problem plant, that I highly doubt.

    I'll get another soil test done and hopefully I can get some hint from that what might be going on.

  • chimboodle04
    chimboodle04 Posts: 286 ✭✭✭

    @greyfurball I would be interested in seeing the checklist if you wouldn't mind sharing :)

  • greyfurball
    greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

    @chimboodle04 well you are testing my abilities aren't you on the computer?

    I saw your note a few hours ago and have been trying to figure out how I will do this. The info is too long to type it in here. So I'm going to try typing it up on a file and then attach that file here so you can see it.

    And if I never figure out how to do it that way I can just mail you a copy after I get it typed up if you would like.

    I'm no computer genius. In my age group very little computer work was necessary unlike it is now. So to me a computer is a toy to play with not a means to a corporate end.

    So give me a few days and I will see what I come up with for you.

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @chimboodle04 You should be able to attach your file to a comment by clicking on the paper clip icon and then browsing to the file on your computer.

    This is one way to become more computer literate.

  • chimboodle04
    chimboodle04 Posts: 286 ✭✭✭

    @greyfurball I didn't mean to stick you with extra work!!! I know how long personalize things like that take to develop - I was just wondering what you included so maybe I could do something similar :) Seriously though, don't go through a bunch of extra time and effort on my part - you have already been more than helpful with everything you shared in our previous conversations (which I really appreciate!) It's OK if you do not share this :)

  • greyfurball
    greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

    @chimboodle04 , to me it's not extra work...it's a learning experience.

    As I said this laptop is pretty much a toy used for sites like this so as I do stuff on here I'm also learning stuff also. I just know the last time I tried this I got it typed up and everything on a Free program but then when I saved it, attached it, the person I sent it to said they could never open it.

    So I think I figured that part out so I'll get it to you eventually. Let's just keep our fingers crossed you'll eventually get to read it.

    So don't worry about me. I'm pretty much game to try anything.

  • greyfurball
    greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

    @chimboodle04 well here it finally is... I think it should work this time.

    Any questions just let me know.


  • chimboodle04
    chimboodle04 Posts: 286 ✭✭✭
    edited October 2019

    @greyfurball thank you so very much! That was a lot of work, but I really, REALLY appreciate you taking the time to share! :)

    You mention in there not to companion plant tomatoes with marigolds - why???

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @greyfurball Awesome work that could be shared further.

    @Marjory Wildcraft I am wondering if there is a central place where you would like to place the above pdf?

  • greyfurball
    greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

    @chimboodle04 I often used marigolds as a companion plant also (but mine was to deter ants). But I just recently found out that many people using them as a companion plant are actually not getting any benefit from them.

    The reason, marigolds deter in-ground diseases for all plants so unless you actually pull the plant, chop it all up and return it by mixing it into the soil, the only benefit you actually receive is the pretty flowers and/or some pollination. But there is other varieties which are better pollinators than marigolds.

    So pick another flower group to help your tomatoes unless at the end of season for each of your beds you wish to grind them all up and stir them back into the soil for next seasons benefit.

  • Karen
    Karen Posts: 10 ✭✭✭

    The 21 steps to a great tomato harvest is a great instruction piece. Thanks so much. I will be usuing it next season! Thank you. Well done.

  • greyfurball
    greyfurball Posts: 591 ✭✭✭✭

    @Karen thanks Karen. Hope it works for you!