Tomato disease question - Ask Extension
I purchased several grafted tomato plants from the Master Gardner plant sale in Salem a few weeks ago. The plants appeared to have some sort of disea...
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Tomato disease question #792189
Asked May 23, 2022, 11:30 AM EDT
I purchased several grafted tomato plants from the Master Gardner plant sale in Salem a few weeks ago. The plants appeared to have some sort of disease on the leaves and were light in color. I hoped they would grow out of it put it appears that the disease is spreading. I have only transplanted one of them and it has not improved. Could you please identify the disease and give me the best course of treatment.
Marion County Oregon
Expert Response
Thanks for reaching out.
Just wanted to give you an update that I'm reaching out to the OSU Extension Plant Pathology specialist to take a look at your photos. At first glance this looks like a stress response due to being grafted and also experiencing a cooler spring but I want to confirm.
I also have a message in to the Master Gardener volunteers who organized the plant sale to see if they have received other reports. They will also be reaching out to the company that produced these plants for the sale to get any more information.
In the meantime, keep the plants that you haven't transplanted separate from any other tomato plants-just in case. I will keep you updated as I hear back!
Just wanted to give you an update that I'm reaching out to the OSU Extension Plant Pathology specialist to take a look at your photos. At first glance this looks like a stress response due to being grafted and also experiencing a cooler spring but I want to confirm.
I also have a message in to the Master Gardener volunteers who organized the plant sale to see if they have received other reports. They will also be reaching out to the company that produced these plants for the sale to get any more information.
In the meantime, keep the plants that you haven't transplanted separate from any other tomato plants-just in case. I will keep you updated as I hear back!
Hi Jay, Thanks for your patience. I checked in our Extension Plant Pathologist.
Good news is that this does not appear to be a disease. The most likely culprit is a stress response from the plants getting too cold. Those few days after the plant sale were definitely too cold for tomatoes to be outside.
If it ever warms up and the plants weren't too stressed then they should recover with new growth. (The damaged foliage will likely fall off.) Cross your fingers for warmer days! And keep an eye out for new growth at the base of those affected leaves where they join the main stem.
Please let me know if you have additional questions.
Good news is that this does not appear to be a disease. The most likely culprit is a stress response from the plants getting too cold. Those few days after the plant sale were definitely too cold for tomatoes to be outside.
If it ever warms up and the plants weren't too stressed then they should recover with new growth. (The damaged foliage will likely fall off.) Cross your fingers for warmer days! And keep an eye out for new growth at the base of those affected leaves where they join the main stem.
Please let me know if you have additional questions.
