Tomato plants - leaves (and some fruit) suddenly curled and discoloured... Help!

[Bigmallly]

My polytunnel door has been open all the time since the middle of June the only thing I do is put a net over the doorway to try and stop the moths.

Isn't it funny how we all have our own little battles, I've put a 3ft movable high fence on each end to stop the pesky wabbits, I'm sure they could scale it if they wanted.

[bramble]

Just reading MarkPelicans remark about keeping the moths out of the greenhouse.
What damage do they do, and to what plants?

[Scarlet]

H

I'd be surprised if there was blight starting on just one tomato, in my experience, it usually affect the leaves first and only gets to the fruit when the whole plant is going.

The leaves are affected. Blight can take a crop in 24 hours. Ask Jonny! If there is any doubt take it out!

It's more than likely the plants got dehydrated and the leaves were burnt as a result but you can't dither when there is a chance that something is spreading.

[Martin H]

I remove any dodgy leaves and fruits at first sign. I only take out the whole plant when the stem is infected: then I know the plant is doomed and has to go immediately. Like this one...



Unfortunately at this point all my outdoor toms had the same symptoms. I guess they were all infected at the same time. My potatoes got patches of blighted leaves too...



But my greenhouse tomatoes are so far unaffected, touch wood!

[Scarlet]

I did ask if the stems had brown patches. As a rule I find toms that are undercover less likely to get blight but the OP has said he moves the middle row outside during the day when the weather is hot. Personally I wouldn't take any chances. As soon as the stems are brown the crop willbe affected and it's just too late.

[Bigmallly]

The stems don't appear to be affected at the moment but agree Max needs to be vigilant and keep an eye on the plants.

[goosander]

Going by what I have read here it seams that again this season blight has visited me. There is a powder on some leaves as well.
Gave the greenhouse a sulphur smoke/good scrub inside and out and a power wash last winter.
would be pleased for any advice for getting rid of it.
Thanks.
Bob

[Scarlet]

Have you got any photos Bob?

[MarkPelican]

Just reading MarkPelicans remark about keeping the moths out of the greenhouse.
What damage do they do, and to what plants?

Its not the moths, its the caterpillars. Search for Tomato Moth Caterpillar on Go-Ogle. They strip the leaves, chew through the stems and eat the green tomatoes. They also go at peppers. On the basis that prevention is better than cure, I put a net over the open doorways to stop the moths & butterflies. I use 1inch mesh which means that the bees and other pollinators can get through.

[MarkPelican]

Isn't it funny how we all have our own little battles, I've put a 3ft movable high fence on each end to stop the pesky wabbits, I'm sure they could scale it if they wanted.

All based on our past experiences. I net my strawberries at home to stop the squirrels. I once remember reading if you put a group of people together and ask them almost any question, what you end up with is the Sum of All Fears, rather than anything positive.

[Jungle Jane]

Its not the moths, its the caterpillars. Search for Tomato Moth Caterpillar on Go-Ogle. They strip the leaves, chew through the stems and eat the green tomatoes. They also go at peppers. On the basis that prevention is better than cure, I put a net over the open doorways to stop the moths & butterflies. I use 1inch mesh which means that the bees and other pollinators can get through.

The bright line brown eye moth;
Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea - UKMoths

I had a cluster of 20 or so eggs on one tomato leaf last year. I waited to see what they were going to hatch into & they were this tomato pest. If you see any holes in any tomato leaves have a look for the tiny caterpillars.

[bramble]

Thank you both for that information, never came across them.

[goosander]

Hope this works [post 22] Bobfile:///C:/Users/goosander/Pictures/2012-10-16%20001/DSCF0538.JPG

[MarkPelican]

I took a video of this little blighter back in September 2009

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...aterpillar.MOV

[LexLucre]

Apologies for the possible thread hijack but it's blight related.

A section of a stem of an outdoor tomato has gone brown, looking pretty much like blight.

The only doubt I have is that there's no sign of any problems on the leaves where I thought blight hit first, and I'm not sure the situation has got worse in the last 24 hours.

Before I bin it, any chance it could be anything else? Haven't bothered posting a photo as I'd say visually the stem looks pretty blight like. It's not mushy in any way and still has its structure, but it has the color of death.