Tomato Disease and Aphids

Zone – 6b Insects will attack weak plants,, Keep a look out for signs. Always keep hands and tools clean,, resist the temptation to touch every plant. unless…
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Question by teadrat.robinson: Is it okay to leave tomato plants close together?
The plants seem to be growing strong and healthy. They have even started to flower. I know that they are supposed to be competing over nutrients and etc. But they seem to be very happy. I am worried about damaging the root system. I am a first time gardener so i’m not worried about cranking out major yields of tomatoes. It’s only three of us and I have a total of 7 tomato plants. What is the best option? Should I risk moving the plants or just see what happens? I also have some bean plants next to the tomatoes and a line of carrots aren’t these companions?

Best answer:

Answer by spartaworld.combat
You have too much vegetation together. I don’t know what the area size is but plants, tomatoes especially need breathing and spreading room. take out the other beans and carrots to about 2 feet away.

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22 Comments

  1. they will hone in on the weakest of the batch

  2. aphids will attach healthy plants I don’t know where u got your info from they attacked my healthy plants and made it unhealthy

  3. I am new to gardening. Planted couple of tomato trees but already there are green bugs on it, I am not sure if they are aphids.
    Couple of questions:
    What did you use to cover your tomato plant and how do you water it?
    What type of box/planter have you used?
    I observed a water bottle next to the plant, can you please explain what does that do?

  4. Hello, next time you plain a garden do a little preparation before you put the plant down. Please remove everything is growing and burn it. Pile your soil and send it true very high temperature, storage it, and cover till the time come to be used. Work with the ground, establish area where you do the grow four feet wide, and a space free, for walking no less of four feet. You must plain your garden, only cultivate in the area where you grow, keep the rest clean, the grass low reach soil .

  5. Those little basterds…they start from the little plants and they slowly suck away everything…

  6. Will do. Thanks!

  7. probably a little of both ,,, just make sure it’s well watered for a few days.

  8. Good luck, and thanks for posting your video. I just transplanted my young tomato plant from my pot to the ground in my garden yesterday. Sun came out super bright and hot this morning (June gloom officially over in Southern Cal). Leaves curled up immediately. I panicked a little at first. Not sure whether it’s transplant shock or extreme heat. 

  9.  thanks …Nashville

  10. Good info. I didn’t know that aphids attac the weakest plant. I’ve had problems with some aphids and they do seem to be on the plants that are closest to each other and producing less fruit than the other plants. What area are you in? Saw you had a cicada video. We are in Middlle TN.

  11. “haleys purple comet” from wild boar farms … none of the varietys from wild boar I have are liking the heat so far.. yes I have been giving them compost tea on a regular basis ,,but to be honest it would seem to rain everytime after I did ,, need to make more. I have been spraying seaweed also

  12. What variety was that? I know some are more susceptible to disease than others, especially heirlooms. Has that plant been getting c-tea? And you’re right, in the plant and animal world…its survival of the fittest.  Bobby

  13. yes and they are always on the bottom of the leaves ,,, some can be quite small… smaller than a grain of salt but they are usually in a colony and easy to spot . also the colors vary ,green,white,brown,red,pink
    lots of different types.. if you every spray for them, you have to spray the bottom of the leaves ,, it’s a pain,kinda hard to do, but necessary.

  14. Dumb question: Since I have not yet had this problem with afvids…. are the visible to the eye?

  15. well if it’s a systemic disease like this might be , it won’t be transfered because it’s something in the plants system , but any kind of fungus,mildew , leaf issues.lots of diseases.. must be dealt with on a plant to plant basis if at all possible.. I like to touch my plants and run my hands thru them like anybody does , but if it’s not necessary , I try to keep my hand off.

  16. thanks icyll, I have beens spraying in the mornings every couple days with a garlic pepper soap spray, and it does help but a couple days later there are even more ! so far I have identified 3 different varietys of aphid on the one plant.. and saw a few mites this morning.. the other plants have been doing fine with the home made soap spray.. very few insects at all.

  17. Keep us updated. I never thought about transfering sickness from one plant to another. Thanks for the advice. Hope the plant makes it. Paula

  18. An easy sure fired ways to kill the afvids without pesticides is to spray them “Early in the Morning” with a solution of water, a 3-10 drops (depending on how much water used), a little less than a tablespoon of oil (again depending on how much water used), optional is some cayenne pepper and or fresh garlic you soaked in the solution. The oil and soap will suffocate and burn up the afvids (do not spray at noon when hot). garlic and pepper leave a bad taste behind. This always works for me

  19. Great advice. I hope your mater rebounds.

  20. Tomatoes must have 20-30 cm distance between them,in order to get sun .If they are close together,your tomatoes will be smaller and not so many.
    If you try to move a tomato plant when it has flowers, the plant will die.

  21. Whereas– if you provide containment for the tomatoes, allowing for air circulation, watch for problems, feed and water well– I say keep them and learn.
    Beans will put nitrogen in the soil so that should help your tomatoes– carrots are in the ground a long time– so I would have gone with radishes and lettuce–
    Rodale books have many that speak to “the square foot gardner” or something like that– you might check them out…..
    and start composting now!!
    good luck

  22. Depends on where they are grown, If your in the hot dry south you should be fine, If your in the soggy northeast, odds are you will have to deal powdery mildew and bacterial spot

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