What is this on my tomato leaves?

[Fiishergurl]

Here are the pictures I was referring to in the above post.

The first two pictures below were taken on March 6th. The tomatoes are smaller than a pencil eraser. The one with the black spot rotted off. I think that those white specks are spores and the beginning of the problem but at the time I didn't know that. The second picture is a healthy tomato. Unfortunately when I took the second picture it wasn't as focused as the first so I was never sure if there were white spots on it or not.

The third picture is the same tomato as the second picture but just taken tonight and at this point the tomato is about the size of a half dollar. This plant is an heirloom and has had 100 plus blooms and only 5 tomatoes have set. You can see one of the new tiny tomatoes in the background of the third picture.

Please let me know your thoughts on whether those are mold spores in the first picture.

[ginger2778]

Hey Ginny, great photography! Really detailed. To me, the first picture's tomato looks like plain old blossom end rot on it, very common in containers, but secondary soft rot could have set in. All the Fla tomato gardeners this year are having a real problem with wet rot on their fruit, usually happening from the stem end though. Wet spot is small and within hours it is rotted through, and dripping. It's a real heartbreaker! Or did yours just get a very large leathery brown rot spot continuing from the one in the picture?
I am not sure those are spores, because there is no patch of yellowing, or browning tissue under them. I don't think it hurts them to use the lower concentration fungal spray, and it could help. The blossom drop could be critters, do you have anything to look at the blossoms under magnification? Could even dissect a few and photo them, them post it, because that is excellent magnification. We have tons of whiteflys, thrips, and new this year to my garden, tomato plant bugs(aka tomato suck bugs, tomato bugs).Our local Master Gardener Entomologist, Dr. kern from UF, says to hit them in the early morn or evening, with soapy water( real soap such as ivory, not detergents) because even if they are hard bodied, it still blocks their spiracles so they suffocate.

Ray, I am using Southern Ag brand, from HD. It works really well.

Marsha

[Fiishergurl]

Hi Marsha,

I'm not sure how the rotting progressed. I took the picture one day and checked maybe a day later or maybe two and the whole thing was gone with just a rotting stem left. Is there anything I can do to treat that?

I will try the soapy water. How much soap to how much water?

It rained a couple of inches last night. Sun is sort of out for now but more rain is coming today.

If we end up with any tomatoes at all it will be a miracle. Thanks for all of the help.

Ginny

[kurt]

http://search.aol.com/aol/image?v_t=...42d97ada0d5ede


Call me crazy but I think it might be spider mites.They come in all sizes, shapes,colors.

[ginger2778]

If it is, soapy water applied every 4 days for 3 times will work on them too. I just looked up the quantities, it us 1/2 oz pure soap powder to 1/2 gallon of water.
Marsha

Originally Posted by kurt

http://search.aol.com/aol/image?v_t=...42d97ada0d5ede


Call me crazy but I think it might be spider mites.They come in all sizes, shapes,colors.

[Fiishergurl]

Ok thanks again. Two more pictures. The first picture is a pepper plant leaf. Just saw this today and then noticed the radishes had something similar. Does this look like bacterial leaf spot or something else (hoping something else).

[kurt]

Do you have a microscope avaliable?The images show some kind of raised legion or critter on the leaves.I do know that the piercing/sucking of plant sap/juices from insects are a vector of plant maladys.So it might be a two fold condition whereas the critters are transmitting a disease from one leaf to another and/or from on plant to another.Florida is not kind to tomatoes at all.Hope everything works out.

[Stvrob]

Plenty of sunshine, fresh air, and pruning. Possibly less nitrogen?

[Fiishergurl]

Here's an update on my tomato plant issues. When I posted those pictures of the leaves with the gray wilting edges things were looking grim. About 30-40 leaves on one plant looked that way and I would remove all the bad leaves but every time I checked there were more. I had sprayed serenade but it didnt put a dent in the progress of the spreading. Posted some pictures here and based on advice tried diluted bleach water. I lightly misted the remaining foliage waited a day and did it again. The mold or whatever it was stopped in its tracks. No more sign of it. I also pruned and thinned the leaves on the internal areas of the plants to get better air flow. Then yesterday morning I sprayed them with insecticidal soap to take care of some critters but planning to use neem oil in the future.

Plants are doing fabulous at the moment. Current count is about 80 green tomatoes in various stages and the cherry tomato plants havent even kicked in yet since I planted them later. Yay! So excited. Thanks for all of the help.

Ginny