Ill tomatoes

[drf]

First-time tomato grower. Been going reasonably well, had a few which have been very tasty! Now however, I think Ive got a problem - dark/grey-black discolouration primarily where the trusses/leaf stems join the main stem and a few green toms look like they're going brown (they are still solid to the touch). I've removed all the toms that look like they're on the way out, but am rather worried the whole lot is going to go.
The ripe ones tend all to be splitting, but I assume that's due to somewhat over-enthusiastic watering.

Any suggestions?

[GeordieVik]

hate to say it DRF, and I'm no expert, but it sounds like blight to me - that's what happened to all of mine too

Better luck next year...

Vik

[Paulottie]

Yes, Blight....bummer eh. Now they've got it -nothing you can do but salvage what you can, burn the remains and sterilize everything in the house. If it any comfort- this is the worst year for it I can remember.

[momol]

Sounds like blight to me too, lost all (30 plants from 6 types ) my outdoor tomatoes to blight... .

Momol

[raine]

I also lost all my allotment toms. It was the first time i had managed to grow anything from seed as well! I had tons of toms on them it was heartbreaking!

[veg4681]

burn the remains and sterilize everything in the house.

Blimey, sterilize everything...is Blight that contagious? I thought I had blight but my tomatoes are doing fine after getting rid of few bad tomatoes. Fingers crossed.

[moggssue]

I've burnt my affected plants and washed the pots, but I was planning on growing tomatoes there again next year in fresh compost. Is this a bad idea, is it really that contagious?

[Headfry]

I am afraid it's a case of that, that must not be named........blight!
think most of us have had it this year. So sorry you have got it in your first year of growing tomatoes.
I have grown tomatoes for about 24 years first time I have ever had it!
Try again next year!

[drf]

Blast! I was worrying that might be the case. So, for the future - I'm also intersted in how much sterilising we're talking about here. Everything's in pots or growbags so soil contamination shouldn't be a problem. They're on a patio so I suppose that could be cleaned in advance of any attempt next year (though I might stick to the beans and courgettes as they've been more successful). I've got a pepper and chilli plant in the same vicinity that I was thinking of overwintering, they seem to be OK at the moment, but are they vulnerable?

As for the plants alive at the moment, is it reasoable to leave the higher tomatoes on the plant in the hope they'll ripen before succumbing to the infection or should I really take off what I can and use them for a green tomato chutney? Speaking of which, I'm assuming ones that look OK are safe to eat...

[NSB]

I've lost all my tomatoes, the cherrys that I was waiting to take a picture of for the show on GYO - all that TLC and chicken pellets wasted

[Paulottie]

Each winter, make up a dustbin of ***** fluid, Don rubber gloves and wash then rinse all the pots then the benches and the frame work of the glass house. Then clean the glass. It is just good practice.