Hopefully someone can tell me what killed my tomato plant. It wilted within one day and there is a white mildew-looking area at the base of the plant. See the picture. I live in Arkansas and the weather right now is HOT and turning dry. I have 2 other tomato plants that seem to be doing just fine. The plant that died was full of tomatoes almost ready to ripen. Darn.
I have had tomatoes do that over the years. I never knew why but some say a blight hits them. I had one to do that this summer and I took all the leaves off and moved it to a shade with the tomatoes still on it, and they ripened and new leaves came on the plant. It has had a few more tomatoes on it. It gets partial shade now. I had anothe to die. It had gotten to wet in a container. Another one, has almost died. It is in a container but I think it has done what it was suppose to. Different tomatoes act different ways.
Looks like southern blight. Usually gets my tomatoes about the time they start blooming. Some cultivars seem very susceptible, especially the newer heirlooms.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/vg9.htm
Here is a Boxcar Willie showing the affected part of the plant. Willie is so susceptible I have never gotten a tomato from them.
Could anyone tell me about tomatos that have catface?? I've never grown heirloom before and I have nearly a whole plant of prudence purple that seems to be afflicted. Now, I know what my granfather in law would say "you just want 'good' looking tomatos" with a grumble, he's the horticulturist in the family;) But I do have some questions. Can I safely eat tomatos with catface or will they ripen at all? Is there a way to reverse this problem or is this poor little plant doomed? And lastly should I pick the tomatos that are afflicted to allow for the posiblity of healthier tomatoes?
If you could help a first timer it would be much appreciated!
nickeler....Had a lot of catfacing on the first ripe Earl Faux, Lime Green Salad and Cuostralee. Doesn't affect anything. Why it happened, I don't know. Temps were above 50 and humdity low when I set the plants out the third week in May. Other people in the area have told me they had more than the usual catfacing this year. Small reds and blacks haven't had the problem and are putting out nice looking fruit. For some reason, Kelloggs Breakfast has been immune as well--fruit approaching two pounds are just perfect.
Catface can be caused by extreme hot or cold or by close contact with herbcide 2-4-D.
Paul
I think I also read over in the tomato forum that catfacing is a result of incomplete pollination. Apparently the problem is more likely early in the season, I believe. Affected tomatoes are certainly edible (and every bit as tasty as the "pretty" ones), just rather odd looking.
Okay, just had the official update from Carolyn, Tomato Guru re catfacing (and here I'll cut and paste directly her response, just so I get it completely correct):
Cool weather during pollenization is actually the most common way of getting catfaced tomatoes.
Let me quote from my favorite Tomato pathology book:
Catface Synptoms:
Typical Symptoms of this disorder are misshapen fruit with scarred areas and lines that often radiate from the blossom end of the fruit. This disorder is especially important on large fruited tomatoes and the severity is variety dependent.
Catface Conditions for Development:
Abnormally cold weather during flowering is known to enhance this disorder. Also high soil nitrogen levels and any disturbance to the flower parts during anthesis ( that's pollen shedding, CJM) can increase catfacing.
