re: Garden Updates

I have been lurking this thread and have a quick question. A couple of my tomatoes that were doing really well and had already produced died while I was on vacation and when I pulled them up I noticed a white moss looking fungus on the base of the plant. What is that and any idea what caused it? TIA

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white moss looking fungus on the base of the plant

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Like this?

Southern Blight. Not controllable and lasts in the soil for years.

Are you sure it was a fungus? Tomatoes can have very hairy looking structures at the base of the plant. The finer ones are called trichomes. But a tomato plant will also grow roots out of the main stem. That's why you can bury them really deep and they will grow roots where the main stem is contacting soil.

As to why they died, was someone watering the plants while you were on vacation? Once it gets really hot, I've noticed plants on the end of a row will die easily if not well watered. Those plants don't have the benefit of getting shade from adjacent plants and will succumb more easily than plants in the middle of a row. The plant will also put out extra roots at the soil to air interface to try and take advantage of the morning dew that collects there. Pics would help.

Not too recently, put down some year old household compost plus leaves. There are other plants literally a foot away in 2 directions.

The leaves falling off made me think of fertilizer burn, which is still maybe with the compost possibility having high salt. Gallery below has some diseases to check.

Pepper plant diseases

I don't see the cost benefit of using any of those over the regular fertilizers.

I till in 13-13-13 before I plant then side dress using 33-0-0.

ETA: Soil tests will tell you where your soil is so you can make the correct mixture. Homeowners, in general, over salt their soils with compost and adding too much P and K

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I pulled them up I noticed a white moss looking fungus on the base of the plant. What is that and any idea what caused it? TIA

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Fungal issues with tomato plants is the very reason I quit growing them for a summer crop. Between bacterial, fungal and pest issues, I was growing beautiful plants and all of a sudden----------pfffftttt. Nothing but dead plants.

Plant them in September for a fall crop to be picked near Thanksgiving. Less issues with the cooler weather.

I’m trying the miettlefider method this fall. It’s 25 lbs of 16-16-16 with 4 lbs of epsom salt and 10 oz of their mineral mix of 16 minerals. Amount for each plane is one tablespoon per linear foot per week. We shall see.

LINK

Here’s an article in NOLA.com about creoles. The farmer plants Florida 91 seeds.

That cuc will be bitter