Tomato plant not thriving

Question: Hello! 

I have 4 tomato plants of different varieties in the same raised bed. One of them, a yellow pear cherry tomato, is very wilted. The others have some yellow/brown leaves that appear to be sunburned or due to the severe heat. I thought the yellow pear’s wilting was also due to the heat/sunscald, but it is significantly worse than the others and now the whole plant appears wilted and some of the leaves are completely dry and brown. I have been watering nearly every day or every other day.  I’m wondering if it is blighted or if there’s any hope for it recovering, or concern that it may spread to the others.

Photo 1: Wilted yellow pear plant
Photo 2: Close up of yellow pear plant
Photo 3: Neighboring Lemon Boy variety tomato for comparison showing some distress but not as severe as the yellow pear

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 24, 2024, 7:14 PM EDT
response: Hi Jessica, Thank you for your question and for the pictures you provided. It looks like your yellow pear tomato plant has developed one of the forms of wilt. There are few specific types of wilt but how to handle this is the same. Unfortunately the recommendation is to pull and destroy the plant to prevent spread to your other tomato plants. To clarify, in destroying the plant please put the plant in the trash and not compost it.  I have included links to Extension articles providing some more details about tomato wilt that you might find useful. https://extension.umd.edu/resource/fusarium-wilt-tomatoes-home-garden/ https://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/mhferguson/articles/page<personal data hidden>09 I hope your other tomato plants continue to flourish and you have a good harvest. Please let us know if you have any further questions. Cyndy

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 24, 2024, 10:42 PM EDT
response: Thank you :( Would it be safe to plant a replacement yellow pear in its place, or is that not advised?   On Mon, Jun 24, 2024 at 7:14 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 25, 2024, 11:32 AM EDT
response: That is not advised as wilt diseases are soil born so a new tomato plant will susceptible to the same problem. Rotating where you plant your tomatoes each year should help lessen the possibility of having this problem going forward. There are also varieties of tomato plants that are less susceptible to wilt available. Inquire at your local garden shop. Attached is an informative article about crop rotation you may find helpful. https://zerowastehomestead.com/crop-rotation-101-how-to-rotate-crops-for-garden-pest-control-and-healthier-soil/

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 25, 2024, 12:13 PM EDT
response: Ok thank you for the advice. Anything you think we could plant in its place at this point in the season? I’ve been experimenting with intensive planting in that bed and along with the tomatoes, also have parsley, oregano, nasturtiums, chives, a few carrots, marigolds, basil, and 2 peppers, currently.  Also, is it too hot to fertilize right now? I was planning to fertilize last week, but read not to do that when it’s this hot. I use organic fertilizer only (Espoma garden tone for veggies, Rose Tone for my roses and hydrangeas) and haven’t fertilized since last month.  On Tue, Jun 25, 2024 at 11:32 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 25, 2024, 5:08 PM EDT
response: Jessica, Attached is a calendar of planting and harvesting times for a wide variety of vegetables and fruits developed for the DC School garden programs. There is a wide variety that can be planted in Aug or later, yielding fall produce. I would recommend planting something that is not in the nightshade family of plants with tomatoes. All nightshade plants will be susceptible to disease from the fungi causing the wilt. You are also correct that it is not advisable to fertilize during this heat wave. The plants are most likely stressed from the heat and drought conditions which will inhibit their ability to benefit from fertilizing. Further tips on fertilizing that you might find useful is in the following link. https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/hot-weather-fertilizer-tips-your-yard-and-garden Hope this information helps, Cyndy