Your comments and tips

15 Jan 10, Dian Smit (Australia - temperate climate)

Nematodes are too small to see without magnification, the white threads COULD be a beneficial fungus, A book called "Teaming with Microbes" A gardeners guide to the soil food web ..Authors Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis published 2006 Timber Press, very enlightening

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10 Jan 10, Marina (Australia - temperate climate)

My tomatoes had the wilt very badly this year. I've pulled them all out now. I've added lime, blood and bone and mushroom compost to the soil and am growing legumes as suggested. I noticed as I turned the soil, clumps of what looked like white threads about 5cm long. Are these the dread nematodes and if not, what? Also the garden stakes I used for my tomatoes and have now pulled out have white stuff clinging to them along with the soil. Is this the wilt fungus? Is it ok just to rinse the stakes off before reuse? Is there a drench I can apply to kill off nematodes and the wilt fungus? I would really love of any help. Help! Marina

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09 Jan 10, Janet (Australia - temperate climate)

I've been growing my toms by the instructions in "Gardening Aust." mag. Not given them too much nitrogen (although the bushes are still quite big) and fed with sulphate of potash. Plenty of fruit just starting to ripen but the first ones I've tried are "hollow". What may be causing this? I've never had it before. Some of your comments indicate that I should be giving them more food, if so what? I'm in Perth.

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06 Jan 10, Katrina (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Whilst crop rotation is important, it doesn't seem the whole answer. We have a raised bed, no dig garden, built on bedrock and layered last winter with manures, lucerne etc. So no prior soil, let alone where tomatoes had been. Despie using the preventative milk spray on first signs, wilt has taken out two plants already, which still had a light harvest, and is close to killing a third, though it's harvest continues well. More experienced gardeners (this is just my second year) have said it's inevitable in Sydney and just to hope for some harvest before the end of the plant. I'd appreciate any other tips. My Dad suggested a copper sulphate spray, but we garden organically.

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05 Jan 10, alison (Australia - temperate climate)

Thanks Barb ... novices are always keen but boy I lack knowledge. I'm trying to companion plant and not use pesticides (except my garlic mix). Also heard that "solar sterilisation" will kill organisms - black plastic over bed before planting - weighed down and let the sun kill off the bugs. Oh well, there's always next year! Barb is there anything we can do now to save our tomatoes? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers

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02 Jan 10, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Tomatoes and others in the solanacae family (eggplant, capsicum, potato, etc) should be rotated to help avoid wilt diseases and also root knot nematodes - these build up in the soil. Sadly boiling would kill a lot of the good microbes - crop rotation seems the best approach of all. It could even be tomato russet mite that's causing the yellow dying leaves - they're microscopic (invisible to naked eye). Keeping the tomato plants growing well with healthy compost, regular feeding with organic fertiliser and plenty of water does seem to help.

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02 Jan 10, Annalisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I agree. I have put the tommies in new garden beds - maybe I should start checking Ph levels - never have before but always had success. But I guess more effort (and money for ph testing kit) just may pay off. Boiling water - sounds interesting! Thanks.

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01 Jan 10, Alison (Australia - temperate climate)

Annalisa, I'm doing some research on the wilt thing. One site said never plant tomatoes in soil that had previously had tommies grown. No-one down my way has had success this season with tomatoes. Perhaps there's credit in the boiling water prior to planting theory. Too bad this site isn't frequented more - I really like it but don't get too many answers.

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01 Jan 10, Matthew (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Planted tomatoes they have fruited but no colour coming. Also the plant seems to have a blackish/brownish tinge to the trunk, is this bad.

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30 Dec 09, Annalisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Anxiously awaiting answers about wilting. I had success last year with tommies, and this year, all five plants had to be ripped out with green tommies all over due to disease. Is it in the soil? I use seaweed fertiliser... Pretty tired of fighting this thing, but willing to fight on. I want some healthy tommies!

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