Do I have a problem?

gnol · December 1, 2008

Hi All,
First time posting here. I could not find an intro thread so I will do that here.
I'm from Australia, Melbourne and this is my second year growing tomatoes.

This year I am growing in a different location from last year as I got some sort of virus disease last year about half way through the season that destroyed my plants. I still got to eat a lot of tomatoes last year.

This year I am growing 3 different varieties and have noticed some of these black marks on the leaves. I have also noticed some leaf curling on the botton of the plants, and have pulled 2 out so far to what I am sure was the curly top virus.

I have tried looking at the pics posted here and reading about what it may be but I am not sure.

Does anyone have any idea what this may be?. The blue on the leaves in the top of the picture is a copper based fungiced that I used a few days ago.
The black bits on the leaf are clearly shown.

tessa · December 1, 2008

wow. that looks frightening. i'm sorry i can't be of any help...hopefully someone will be along soon who is the font of wisdom on disease.

in the meantime...i would like to say welcome!

gnol · December 6, 2008

Thanks for the welcome Tessa.

Since no one has offered up any suggestions, I am hoping there is nothing major going wrong.

And this morning I found this happening to one of my cherry varieties. I gave them all a good watering last night so am surprised that the top is wilting like that.
As you can see from the picture my plants are also suffering from blossom drop.
I had blossom drop last year as well in another growing patch so I m not sure what is going on.

newatthiskat · December 6, 2008

I am sorry I am new to all this as well. Are all the leaves affected or just a few? If only a few I would pull them off. Maybe a vitamin or mineral deficiency? I don't know what to make of the wilted top plant. Is it on the same plant as the spotted leaves?

Kat

PS Wanted to add this website. Not sure if it will help or not
http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/NewsArticles/WetSeason/Disease%20-%20Tomato1.pdf

stratcat1 · December 6, 2008

Welcome, gnol.

Are you growing that plant in the 2nd pic in a container? I garden lots in containers.

Previously, I'd see drooping and add water when the planter was already waterlogged. Got rid of the saucers and they grow much better. Hopefully yours is too wet.

As to blossom drop, heat and humidity often cause that. I've read that nutrition problems can also be the cause if you have sandy soil. Some varieties in my gardens are more susceptible. Had lots of blossom drop this year and still got a crop.

Read that some leaf curl can be shoots and roots growing at different rates. Had a Rose Quartz Multiflora have leaf curl early this year and straighten out.

Not sure what that is on your leaves. Hopefully your plants outgrow it. Anyone recognize that?

Good luck.

john

gnol · December 6, 2008

Yeah I suppose you grow and learn. Weather has been up and down in Melbourne for the last few weeks.

No container growing here. Actually I lie, one is in container due to too many seedlings. That one nearly dies and then is bought back to life. None of the ones in the patch have limped apart from the one in the picture.

I live in Werribee and they process ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ here.

Maybe there is something bad in the air.

dice · December 7, 2008

I did not recognize the disease, but you can search for it among
the pictures here:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/t...ver/index.html

(The only thing that I have seen that looks purple is
phosphorus deficiency, but it does not have well-defined edges
like that. It is more an overall tinge to the leaf that is most
visible on the bottoms of leaves.)

Wi-sunflower · December 7, 2008

A sure fire way to prove or dis-prove phosphorus deficiency is as follows --

Usually you will only see the purpling during cold weather. Take a sample leaf inside where it is warmer or cover the plant with some clear plastic for long enough for the temp to warm up. If the purpling goes away when the plant/leaf warms up, YES it is phosphorus not desease. It will probably take a couple of hours-overnite to see the change so be careful if you have covered the whole plant. You don't want to cook it.

If it IS a phosphorus problem you most likely don't need to do anything. There is probably enough phosphorus, it's just that the plant can't use it when it's cold, just like the plant can't use Calcium if it's too dry.

IF there is purpling that looks like a Phosphorus problem AND the weather is NOT abnormally cool/cold, THEN you do have a phosphorus deficiency and need to add your fav fertilizer.

stratcat1 · December 7, 2008

Hi, gnol.

Here's a couple links to scout for pics of diseased tomato leaves and some solutions-

http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.corne...omLeafKey.html

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2217.htm

Good luck.

john t

gnol · December 8, 2008

Thanks for the tips everyone.
The dark bits on the leafs are now turning brown and getting holes in them. I'm not sure if its happening to all of them as I did not open the gate and go in the patch. This pic is not the best but I think it shows what is happening.

Suppose lots of it depends on local conditions and weather.

I'll keep you posted on the progress.

December 6, 2008	#4
newatthiskat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: texas Posts: 1,451	reply I am sorry I am new to all this as well. Are all the leaves affected or just a few? If only a few I would pull them off. Maybe a vitamin or mineral deficiency? I don't know what to make of the wilted top plant. Is it on the same plant as the spotted leaves? Kat PS Wanted to add this website. Not sure if it will help or not http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/NewsArticles/WetSeason/Disease%20-%20Tomato1.pdf Last edited by newatthiskat; December 6, 2008 at 01:26 AM.

December 6, 2008	#5
stratcat1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Michigan's Sunrise Side Posts: 83	Welcome, gnol. Are you growing that plant in the 2nd pic in a container? I garden lots in containers. Previously, I'd see drooping and add water when the planter was already waterlogged. Got rid of the saucers and they grow much better. Hopefully yours is too wet. As to blossom drop, heat and humidity often cause that. I've read that nutrition problems can also be the cause if you have sandy soil. Some varieties in my gardens are more susceptible. Had lots of blossom drop this year and still got a crop. Read that some leaf curl can be shoots and roots growing at different rates. Had a Rose Quartz Multiflora have leaf curl early this year and straighten out. Not sure what that is on your leaves. Hopefully your plants outgrow it. Anyone recognize that? Good luck. john __________________ I know where food comes from...

December 7, 2008	#7
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I did not recognize the disease, but you can search for it among the pictures here: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/t...ver/index.html (The only thing that I have seen that looks purple is phosphorus deficiency, but it does not have well-defined edges like that. It is more an overall tinge to the leaf that is most visible on the bottoms of leaves.) __________________ -- alias

December 7, 2008	#9
stratcat1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Michigan's Sunrise Side Posts: 83	Hi, gnol. Here's a couple links to scout for pics of diseased tomato leaves and some solutions- http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.corne...omLeafKey.html http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2217.htm Good luck. john t __________________ I know where food comes from...

December 1, 2008	#2
tessa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: perth, western australia Posts: 1,031	wow. that looks frightening. i'm sorry i can't be of any help...hopefully someone will be along soon who is the font of wisdom on disease. in the meantime...i would like to say welcome!

December 6, 2008	#6
gnol Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 125	Yeah I suppose you grow and learn. Weather has been up and down in Melbourne for the last few weeks. No container growing here. Actually I lie, one is in container due to too many seedlings. That one nearly dies and then is bought back to life. None of the ones in the patch have limped apart from the one in the picture. I live in Werribee and they process ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ here. Maybe there is something bad in the air.

December 7, 2008	#8
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	A sure fire way to prove or dis-prove phosphorus deficiency is as follows -- Usually you will only see the purpling during cold weather. Take a sample leaf inside where it is warmer or cover the plant with some clear plastic for long enough for the temp to warm up. If the purpling goes away when the plant/leaf warms up, YES it is phosphorus not desease. It will probably take a couple of hours-overnite to see the change so be careful if you have covered the whole plant. You don't want to cook it. If it IS a phosphorus problem you most likely don't need to do anything. There is probably enough phosphorus, it's just that the plant can't use it when it's cold, just like the plant can't use Calcium if it's too dry. IF there is purpling that looks like a Phosphorus problem AND the weather is NOT abnormally cool/cold, THEN you do have a phosphorus deficiency and need to add your fav fertilizer.