Fear n loathing....

Pat Shaw · July 6, 2017

I am more than fearful after 3 years of fusarium wilt ruining my crop. Anyone know what, if anything I'm dealing with here?

peebee · July 6, 2017

Do you have pics of the underside of the leaves?

jillian · July 6, 2017

Sometimes the stippled leaves (second photo), can indicate spider mites. Yes check the undersides of the leaves very closely. Third photo, are there a couple of aphids there?

Pat Shaw · July 6, 2017

I didn't see anything. Do you?

jillian · July 6, 2017

Hard to tell. Try taking a white sheet of paper and tapping the leaves over it. Maybe a more experienced set of eyes will chime in soon........I would go ahead and do the paper test in meantime.

jillian · July 6, 2017

A magnifying glass or some sort of magnification would help you greatly, those devils are very tiny.

ginger2778 · July 6, 2017

I can't see them in these photos, but I am thinking spider mites, nothing else gives leaves that speckled stippled appearance. I agree with Jillian, also agree that they are such tiny creatures that you need a much closer up photo. If you have a microscope or a 14X or higher magnification glass, you should use it. But I am pretty sure you're going to see spider mites.
Edited, in your first set of photos in the very closeup photo there are insects present, one looks like it has 2 spots, so that's spider mites.

dmforcier · July 6, 2017

There are bibbits on the ends of the leaf in the upper right corner of the last photo. And possibly on the little one at the extreme left. Need magnifier.

Salsacharley · July 6, 2017

Looks like spider mites to me...especially the 2nd picture from the top.

RayR · July 6, 2017

Yep, classic spider mite symptoms.

Pat Shaw · July 7, 2017

Thank you, everyone for your responses - will be getting some neem oil asap. Funny how it works, the last 3 years, no pests, but fungus all over the place. This year, no fungus (so far) but bugs...........guess if I had my "druthers", I'll take the mites. Thanks again!

b54red · July 7, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat Shaw

Thank you, everyone for your responses - will be getting some neem oil asap. Funny how it works, the last 3 years, no pests, but fungus all over the place. This year, no fungus (so far) but bugs...........guess if I had my "druthers", I'll take the mites. Thanks again!

You may change your mind about that. Spider mites are really hard to get rid of. Neem might slow them down for a few days but I could never get rid of them with it.

Bill

Cole_Robbie · July 7, 2017

Chemical miticides are pretty wicked stuff, if you look into that route. A lot of them have been banned in the US, or require a spray license.

bower · July 7, 2017

I'm also having a mitey season instead of fungus. Dry and sunny, low relative humidity, stress from high UV and the invisible beasts are having a party on the upper leaves. Wet and dreary and high relative humidity and fungus would be partying on the lower leaves.

One way or another, tomatoes will lose some leaves.

And die, eventually. Hopefully making fruit before that...

I just pick mine btw. Take away bad leaves, burn or otherwise dispose far from the plants. We have tiny spiders that also get through my greenhouse screens. They set up their webs and feast on the little guys. With a little helpful 'sanitation' on my part reducing their food supply, they clean up the rest (usually) and the plants grow leaves so dang fast I can't keep up anyway.

ginger2778 · July 7, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

You may change your mind about that. Spider mites are really hard to get rid of. Neem might slow them down for a few days but I could never get rid of them with it.

Bill

That is exactly what I was thinking.

July 6, 2017	#8
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	There are bibbits on the ends of the leaf in the upper right corner of the last photo. And possibly on the little one at the extreme left. Need magnifier. __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

July 7, 2017	#14
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	I'm also having a mitey season instead of fungus. Dry and sunny, low relative humidity, stress from high UV and the invisible beasts are having a party on the upper leaves. Wet and dreary and high relative humidity and fungus would be partying on the lower leaves. One way or another, tomatoes will lose some leaves. And die, eventually. Hopefully making fruit before that... I just pick mine btw. Take away bad leaves, burn or otherwise dispose far from the plants. We have tiny spiders that also get through my greenhouse screens. They set up their webs and feast on the little guys. With a little helpful 'sanitation' on my part reducing their food supply, they clean up the rest (usually) and the plants grow leaves so dang fast I can't keep up anyway. Last edited by bower; July 7, 2017 at 05:59 PM. Reason: add

July 6, 2017	#2
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Do you have pics of the underside of the leaves?

July 6, 2017	#3
jillian Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 880	Sometimes the stippled leaves (second photo), can indicate spider mites. Yes check the undersides of the leaves very closely. Third photo, are there a couple of aphids there?

July 6, 2017	#7
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	I can't see them in these photos, but I am thinking spider mites, nothing else gives leaves that speckled stippled appearance. I agree with Jillian, also agree that they are such tiny creatures that you need a much closer up photo. If you have a microscope or a 14X or higher magnification glass, you should use it. But I am pretty sure you're going to see spider mites. Edited, in your first set of photos in the very closeup photo there are insects present, one looks like it has 2 spots, so that's spider mites.

July 6, 2017	#9
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	Looks like spider mites to me...especially the 2nd picture from the top.

July 6, 2017	#10
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Yep, classic spider mite symptoms.

July 7, 2017	#11
Pat Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Springfield, Missouri Posts: 5	Thank you, everyone for your responses - will be getting some neem oil asap. Funny how it works, the last 3 years, no pests, but fungus all over the place. This year, no fungus (so far) but bugs...........guess if I had my "druthers", I'll take the mites. Thanks again!

July 7, 2017	#13
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Chemical miticides are pretty wicked stuff, if you look into that route. A lot of them have been banned in the US, or require a spray license.