Late blight?

jpop · March 15, 2016

Can anyone tell me if this is late blight or something different (possibly sulfur deficiency). Started affecting top to middle of plants first. Note red/brown stem and yellowing of leaves.

Johnniemar · March 15, 2016

Does not look like late blight to me!

RayR · March 15, 2016

Nope. What does the bottom of the leaves look like? Maybe a picture of that and the entire plant might help. Grown in ground or container? Fertilization used?

ginger2778 · March 15, 2016

The red brown stem and yellow leaves makes me think Tomato Russet Mites might be doing their worst. I suggest Neem(70-100%)and dish soap, 1 Tablespoon each to a gallon of water. Neem is anti fungal too in case this is a foliar fungus, but it works on TRMs. You should do a thorough under, over leaf, and stem down to soil line spray, repeat every 4 days for 3 times, this kills the successive babies stages as they hatch and as they mature to adult.
TRMs make the pollen in the blossoms go black too. Not good pollen = not much fruit.

jpop · March 15, 2016

Thanks for the replies guys. I will spray tonight and get more photos the next few days. I have not seen the mites and checked thoroughly. Would I be able to see them? Growing them in containers.

ginger2778 · March 15, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpop

Thanks for the replies guys. I will spray tonight and get more photos the next few days. I have not seen the mites and checked thoroughly. Would I be able to see them? Growing them in containers.

No, they are microscopic. You go by the damage to tell if you have them. Adults are 2/10 of a millimeter in size. They hitchhike on your clothes, gloves, fingers, etc and spread to the next plant. The bronzing stem is their calling card. I had them really bad this season., got rid of em, and new growth came up from the bottom very strong and healthy. The affected stems did die off.

jpop · March 15, 2016

Ugh, thanks Marsha

jpop · March 16, 2016

Here are an overview and close up of the affected plants.

Barb_FL · March 17, 2016

Sorry about the plant diagnosis; they were so beautiful and productive.

I really can't tell anything from the overview picture. Good thing Marsha is on it.

My plants end up looking terrible once a lot of fruit is set. I was so psyched on Lucid Gem, but it looks way worse than your plants.

Did you treat with Neem Oil yet?

I'm going to look into getting a lens.

We need to find a supplement to feed to tomato plants that make them undesirable to pests.

jpop · March 17, 2016

Thanks for chiming in Barb. The overview was for an earlier poster asking for the pic. Unfortunately 8 of those plants look like spindles today as the leaves and branches are dying off rapidly resulting in snapped stems from the weight of tomatoes. I saved app. 30 unripe tomatoes from fully grown to mid size. Not sure if they are worth anything though. Yes sprayed w/ neem that 1st night and again tomorrow night.

ginger2778 · March 17, 2016

What happened with mine was exactly what you described, but fear not, the 3 doses of neem will kill them, and those stems wont recover, but new growth from the base will come on like gangbusters. Now is the time to put calcinit in your EBs. Results will amaze you. Oh, and I put some soluble bloom fertilizer in one week before the Calcinit. The Calcinit is making them grow robustly. I will try to get some photos up tomorrow.
Everything loaded with blossoms, and now the buzzing is making everthing get crazy good fruit set.
Jpop, were the anther cones of your flowers turning black before blossom drop?

ginger2778 · March 17, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpop

Thanks for chiming in Barb. The overview was for an earlier poster asking for the pic. Unfortunately 8 of those plants look like spindles today as the leaves and branches are dying off rapidly resulting in snapped stems from the weight of tomatoes. I saved app. 30 unripe tomatoes from fully grown to mid size. Not sure if they are worth anything though. Yes sprayed w/ neem that 1st night and again tomorrow night.

Green tomatoes make great green tomato relish.

Barb_FL · March 17, 2016

JPOP - Things went downhill quickly. Just think, with your 2nd Neem spraying, your over 1/2 way to recovery.

Marsha - looking forward to your new pics; I love success stories.

ginger2778 · March 17, 2016

Jpop, you are only spraying early am or late afternoon, right? Neem will fry your leaves in bright sun.

jpop · March 18, 2016

Late afternoon. How much calcinit per earthbox are you using? Also, how do you prepend the relish?

March 15, 2016	#5
jpop Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: SE Florida Zone 10 Posts: 319	Thanks for the replies guys. I will spray tonight and get more photos the next few days. I have not seen the mites and checked thoroughly. Would I be able to see them? Growing them in containers. Last edited by jpop; March 15, 2016 at 09:47 PM.

March 15, 2016	#2
Johnniemar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North carolina Posts: 199	Does not look like late blight to me!

March 15, 2016	#3
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Nope. What does the bottom of the leaves look like? Maybe a picture of that and the entire plant might help. Grown in ground or container? Fertilization used?

March 15, 2016	#4
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	The red brown stem and yellow leaves makes me think Tomato Russet Mites might be doing their worst. I suggest Neem(70-100%)and dish soap, 1 Tablespoon each to a gallon of water. Neem is anti fungal too in case this is a foliar fungus, but it works on TRMs. You should do a thorough under, over leaf, and stem down to soil line spray, repeat every 4 days for 3 times, this kills the successive babies stages as they hatch and as they mature to adult. TRMs make the pollen in the blossoms go black too. Not good pollen = not much fruit.

March 17, 2016	#9
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	Sorry about the plant diagnosis; they were so beautiful and productive. I really can't tell anything from the overview picture. Good thing Marsha is on it. My plants end up looking terrible once a lot of fruit is set. I was so psyched on Lucid Gem, but it looks way worse than your plants. Did you treat with Neem Oil yet? I'm going to look into getting a lens. We need to find a supplement to feed to tomato plants that make them undesirable to pests.

March 18, 2016	#15
jpop Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: SE Florida Zone 10 Posts: 319	Late afternoon. How much calcinit per earthbox are you using? Also, how do you prepend the relish?