Regretting Home Depot Tomato Plants

[peakbagger]

I didnt start a garden until 5 or 6 years ago. I started my plants from seeds or bought seedlings from a farmer that does tomato seedlings at a farmers market. WIth Covid there was no farmers market so no tomatoes. I started some seedlings from seed but they just didnt thrive. One day I was at Home Depot and picked up a couple of tomato seedlings. They looked good and healthy so I bought them and planted them. Took about a month and I regretted the decision. Leaves started dying and its obvious I got a bonus with my seedlings, tomato blight. I am pretty sure that the blight came with the plants as I planted the ones I started from scratch and they have no signs.

I had read over the years about this problem being common with the large suppliers that supply these chains and the I got burned. So that means I need to trash all the plants at the end of the season, sterilize my tomato cages and garden mats and then find a new place for tomatoes for several years.

I expect a lot of new Covid gardeners will get burned this way.

 

[Bad LP]

My hot peppers are producing very well. Started them in Feb on heat mats. Toms and cukes came from my neighbor who farms 60 or so acres in a CSA program. I'm in pots and should have used bigger ones but they are all doing well so far.

I hate that orange box. I really do.

 

[begreen]

Are you sure it is blight? This might be mosaic virus, which can be worse. Be sure to dispose of the plants, not compost them. And any tools like clippers should be sterilized before using on another plant. I am dealing with this now, and it is not fun. My problem is somewhat self-inflicted. Mosaic virus started in the greenhouse and I transplanted some sick plants to the outside beds last year to save them. This year I have 3 beds that are infected.

 

[peakbagger]

Looking at various websites its looks like tomato blight vs Mosaic. Looks like the same treatment. Dispose of the infected plants, sterilize any tools and then plant tomatoes elsewhere for several years. BTW the big plant suppliers for HD also supply Lowes, Walmarts and other national and regional chains.

 

[begreen]

Looking at various websites its looks like tomato blight vs Mosaic. Looks like the same treatment. Dispose of the infected plants, sterilize any tools and then plant tomatoes elsewhere for several years. BTW the big plant suppliers for HD also supply Lowes, Walmarts and other national and regional chains.

Yes. I think our infected plants came from Fred Meyer. I was wondering where and how the virus overwinters and how deep in the soil it gets. If replacing the top 6" of the soil with fresh in the effected raised beds would work, I'd consider this.

 

[jeanw]

Yes. I think our infected plants came from Fred Meyer. I was wondering where and how the virus overwinters and how deep in the soil it gets. If replacing the top 6" of the soil with fresh in the effected raised beds would work, I'd consider this.

ah if Bonnie brand I usually have good luck with their plants. BUT never remember buying tomato plants for years. They seem all to germinate for me. Plus I prob have found over 100 seedlings this year in my "soil".
As matter fact I need to pull up a volunteer in my compost bin. I try not to put any seeds in there but. it got past me. I gave away some wish I gave away more seedlings cause I know I have too many plants crowded in my raised wire bin beds.
just a saying

 

[billb3]

There are too many kinds of blight, and the airborne component can carry for several miles. The odds it came with nursery plants are fairly slim. There was a (huge) grower that got infected ( I forget now if it was poor growing practice or if it was in the sterile soil they bought) and supplied many of the big box stores in quite a large area. I remember never experiencing blight on tomatoes until two years after that infection affected a lot of people. Now I struggle with it every year. I've had it kill one plant almost overnight and not effect the ones right beside it. Sure is a weird affliction.

Some suggest raking up ALL the garden debris and dried up plants at the end of the year and burning it all. Just so no plants stay alive with it over Winter. I think it's late blight that doesn't winter over but the others can and do. It is supposedly a good practice to help with cucumber beetles too. As they are responsible for a bacterial wilt that can affect many plants besides cucumbers/curcurbits.