Marianne's Response

Disease in raised beds

So I seem to have gotten a tomato wilt? Two tomato plants of different varieties in the same earth box. One had stopped growing, the other’s leaves are turning yellow at the bottom now. On top of that, my yellow squash plant in another box is looking diseased? Any help? Both boxes had new Miracle Grow planters Mix in them this year?

Posted by RileyRoss on July 30, 2020

Marianne's Response

I am not at all sure if your plants are suffering from wilt disease or a blight. They may be suffering from root rot from overwatering.  Wilt and blights attack quickly and do extensive damage within a week. If the leaves are turning yellow slowly it could be a root problem with overwatering the most common cause. Poke your finer into the soil and do not water if the top two inches of soil is still damp. Make sure that the drainage holes in your grow box are not blocked. If you do have wilt or blight there is no cure so once the plants die uproot them and do not compost the dead plant. Keeping the foliage dry helps to prevent blights on tomatoes.  Keep growing, Marianne Binetti