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city_tomato

Tobacco and Tomatoes

city_tomato
15 years ago

What are the dangers of smoking cigarettes around your tomatoe plants? I'm not rubbing TMV infected tobacco all over my plants, just smoking next to them. I've heard this is bad. Is there any truth to this?

Comments (8)

  • containerted
    15 years ago

    Well, the obvious is you're more likely to get lung cancer. But, the smoke contains several carcinogens and the smoke will collect on the leaves and clog the pores. The tars and other junk are just not suitable for healthy anything. Take a look at the bottom of a used ashtray and you can see what can collect on your plants. BTW, I quit smoking in 1984 after 27 years of lying to myself.

  • digdirt2
    15 years ago

    This recent discussion on the question should answer your question for you.

    As Carolyn said in that discussion, "TMV hasn't been a problem for over 20 years b'c US tobacco has been TMV tolerant for that long. Before that there were isolated problems with it, primarily for commercial farmers."

    Add to that the easily inbred resistance to it in hybrids and I honestly don't think you need to worry. ;)

    Dave

    Here is a link that might be useful: TMV concerns....discussion

  • kdawg
    15 years ago

    I think the concern is tobacco mosaic virus. You're supposed to avoid handling tomato plants after smoking unless you've washed your hands thoroughly. Not sure if the smoke itself is a problem.

    Here is a link that might be useful: mosaic virus info

  • carolyn137
    15 years ago

    I think the concern is tobacco mosaic virus. You're supposed to avoid handling tomato plants after smoking unless you've washed your hands thoroughly. Not sure if the smoke itself is a problem.

    *****

    Yes, TMV used to be a problem and that's what's being referred to in the above posts.

    Please read the link Dave gave.

    A few comments.

    US tobacco is not a problem since for many years now the strains used have been TMV tolerant.

    Turkish Tobacco can still be a problem.

    The last out break of field grown tomatoes and TMV was over 20 years ago and I thinbk that was in MO.

    There have been a few isolated cases in CA.

    Current transmission of TMV is primarily a problem in commercial greenhouses where it's spread mechanically.

    The tolerant gene is easy to introduce to hybrids so they do it.

    Much more common than TMV these days is CMV.

    I don't worry about TMV at all, and I know several commercial farmers who smoke and have never had ONE plant with TMV.

    I used to smoke and would wash my hands with Comet and all else until I did some serious online searching about TMV and I stopped the Comet washes ASAP.

    Almost every website online that deals with tomato diseases presents every possible disease, regardless of the specific areas where only certain diseases are found and despite the current situatuion with this or that pathogen in this or that area.

    Carolyn

  • city_tomato
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks so much!

  • christopher_platt
    15 years ago

    ***
    I used to smoke and would wash my hands with Comet
    ***

    Man, I bet that hurt. . .or at least gave some dry hands.

  • donnamarienj
    15 years ago

    What about planting a Nicotiana near tomatoes? Is that bad?

  • vegjoe
    15 years ago

    you mean i've been unnecessarily chastising our dear kind friend, rod, about smoking near my garden?

    i owe him an apology!