black stems on tomatoes?

[tiachica]

I posted in the blight thread, but don't have permissions, but I am too worried to wait if the reply is approved.

Is this the beginning of blight? It doesn't seem to spread though... I don't know what to do, pick the fruits and try and ripen them with bananas?

Any suggestions?

[SarzWix]

It doesn't look very good I don't know for sure if it's blight or not, but it's definitely something... I'd be inclined to take the tomatoes off - if the stems are getting diseased with something, they aren't going to be carrying nice stuff round the plant to feed the tomatoes and might infect them instead?

The tomatoes underneath the black bits might be ok? Especially if you cut the main stem off below the black bits.

[tiachica]

Thanks Sarah,

will try and do that.
Hopefully it's just a one-off.

[uulwyn]

Hi,

It could be stem rot with symptoms are brown or black fungus on the main stems, often succeeded by white, cottony growth. Destroy affected plants, do not compost. The soil should be replaced or sterilised before using again.

I think its blight though.

Steve

[tiachica]

Thanks Steve.
I think I did see very fine white cottony threads developing though. Gonna have another look.

Is it infectious to the other plants? It's not touching any other ones.
Can you still use the unripe toms on the plant?

[uulwyn]

Hi there,

I personally wouldn't eat the tomatoes as all the instructions on this is to bin the plant or cut the parts off that are infected, but if its main stems then it would effect the whole plant also. Apparently this fungal disease can prolong in your soil, so it says to disinfect it.(I dont know how), but have a look at stem rot on google and you will get more info on it. I personally grow them in containers so save any major bother(Apart from blight)but with all things tomatoes can get most diseases wherever you grow them, all we are doing is lower the % chances of them getting them by different planting techniques. If you have them in containers then i would just bin the whole tub and sterlise the pot, so it doesnt harbour the disease.

From everything I have read it says that it is passed plant to plant, but dont be hasty to destroy other plants around it, i would see if they develop any symptoms first, but i would(If me)rip the plant up thats infected and destroy it, but i don't want to give you any poor advice, as all im going on is the piccies.

Steve

[tiachica]

Hi Steve,
hi Sarah,

I did some googling and to be honest, it looks like the pics on this site:
http://laptopgardener.com/?p=635

So we got blight.
Gonna bin the affected plant, take the green fruits off.

[teakdesk]

I personally wouldn't eat the tomatoes...

If the tomato is affected then I too wouldn't eat it but I believe others just cut off affected bits and eat the rest.

I prefer (don't ask me why, I'm strange sometimes!!) to wash all tomatoes then soak them in a strong salt solution for 24 hours.

Then thoroughly dry them and keep in a covered bowl in a warm room with a ripe banana.

Check all tomatoes at least once a day and remove any looking infected.

After a week I have some ripe tomatoes and some still green but all ok to eat.