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Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Sunday, 18th July 2010
I have never heard this before. If you are a smoker you should not handle tomato plants with bare hands. As the plants are likely to be damaged from anything associated with tobacco.
Good morning,
My Dad, a pipe smoker never went near his tomato plants when smoking nor I suppose until he had washed his hands. I'm pretty sure it was to avoid spreading Tobacco Mosaic Virus to which tomatoes are susceptible and which is carried on tobacco (which is after all only dried tobacco leaves). I remember him telling me this and it must have been at least 50 years ago.
I was never sure how technically correct this was but it seems logical.
Hope this helps
I've heard this - that you shouldn't smoke in a greenhouse of tomatoes and you should wash your hands before dealing with tomato plants if you are a smoker.
Hi,
As a young lad i worked for a local family owned garden centre during the school holidays, my job was to work with the boss (an older man) in the greenhouses, now he smoked a pipe but wouldnt allow anyone "himself included to smoke or if you did smoke to come into contact with any of the tomato plants.
So i feel this must be true.
Thanks for your replies. I had never heard this before although i know you can make insecticide from cigarette butts soaked in water. I have known lots of smokers in the passed who grew tomatoes and i am sure they did not know either.
I guess if you handle tobacco directly, and then touch the plants, then there's a remote chance of transmission. I can't imagine it surviving in the smoke though.
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