Information and discussion regarding garden diseases, insects and other unwelcome critters.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 2
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Hello all,
I'm trying to plant some tomatoes on my patio for the first time this year but unfortunately my tomatoes haven't been doing that great ![]() http://imgur.com/a/0kSk8 Can they be saved or should I discard them and buy some new already grown plants? Thanks! |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Vancouver Island
Posts: 5,931
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i think they look OK overall, give them a little balanced fertilizer at 1/2 strength and plant them out as soon as it is warm enough in your area. bonus for you since you have been growing them outdoors they are already hardened off.
KarenO |
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 6,794
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Gnats: Fungus gnats can be a problem, usually indoors though or in a greenhouse, since they don't tolerate wind. Make sure your containers are draining well and not standing in water, which encourages them. Mosquito dunks (Bt-i) can be soaked and then use it to water them when you see adult gnats around. It's the larvae that do the harm in that case, in the soil eating the roots.
Leaf spots are something else, could be insects like thrips, or it could just be damage from exposure to sunshine when wet, or dessicated by wind, etc. Looking at the different plants you posted I think it's likely a physical cause, rather than bugs. Young plants are pretty vulnerable to leaf damage from the elements, but tomatoes grow so fast, they produce so many leaves, they can easily grow out of minor damage. Overall, your plants look pretty good. ![]() |
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 4,350
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Those are aphids not gnats. Other than that I think the just look a little weathered not sick. Spray them off with some water and get under the leaves. Or find a few ladybugs and put them on the plants. They will clean them up in no time.
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carolyn k |
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 3,825
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The last pic is telling. In it I see at least three bibbits, probably aphids (though I don't recall a pink aphid, but you're in a near-foreign land). Get you some insecticidal soap at a local big box store and spray the plants as per directed. Repeat after a couple of days.
The plants look okay overall, and should be fine. Good luck.
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Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers |
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Cheektowaga, NY
Posts: 2,466
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Yep, aphids. Got some isopropyl rubbing alcohol in the bathroom? 1 part rubbing alcohol to 2 parts water in a spray bottle, Mist the entire plant well, it's instant death to aphids. Look for flying aphids, they put the young nymphs on the plant.
Aphids come in different colors, even transparent sometimes |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2012
Location: massachusetts
Posts: 1,710
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French marigolds and sweet alyssum will attract hoverflies which will keep aphids in check.
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#8 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: San Diego-Tijuana
Posts: 2,598
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Cheektowaga, NY
Posts: 2,466
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Yes, I would think so although I haven't had that many soft bodied villains to deal with. it even works on spider mites although you have reapply every few days.
It's not something I would use outdoors in the garden because it would be real expensive to do on a larger scale. I've only done it indoors on seedlings if needed. You've got to make a direct hit on the bugs, alcohol is volatile, it evaporates very quickly. I used 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, if you use 50% isopropyl rubbing alcohol I would go to a 1:1 mixture with water. You can also put a couple drops of liquid soap in to get smoother coverage over the surface of the leaves and stems. |
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
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Yep- aphids. I have been finding that a strong and thorough water spray above and below leaves and down the stem works wonders on the aphids. That even rinses off the eggs, and it's really fast. Soapy water spray will take care of the rest. Must use as a preventive every 7-10 days.
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#11 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: San Diego-Tijuana
Posts: 2,598
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Thanks! |
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#12 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 2
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Glad to hear my tomatoes will most likely survive
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#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 3,825
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What will really help keep aphids under control is ladybugs. They scarf them like chicken wings.
If after you put them outside and you still have or develop an aphid problem and no ladybugs show up, check local nurseries. Some sell them.
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Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers |
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#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NewYork 5a
Posts: 2,303
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Oh the evil aphid. With over 300 possible varieties you have just a tiny beginning. Life
cycles can vary. The females can lay 15-20 tiny nymphs a day. Not as bad as fungus gnats but nice to get on it and remove every one you see to lower the numbers. Very common. Mine were/are lime green. Not all stages of their short lives respond to just one spray i found out. I just checked every morning, each plant, and rolled them off. Then would take them to the sink for a spray wash...piece of small celled bubble wrap over the soil to hold the soil in the pot. Yellow sticky traps helped me monitor how i was doing. Safer soap did not work as well as a Neem/dr.Bronners dilute blend. The white patches could be sunburn. Not sure how long the ones were transplanted into the larger pots but they go through a bit of stress while getting their new roots to form. Shade is best for a few days after re-potting up. They should recover fine now that you know what you have. It has been very hot the past few days in NYC.! Best to keep them in shade while they recover. I'm finding diversion tactics or distractors works well. Aphids love sunflowers so i've been growing dwarf varieties. TeddyBear is a good one and they stay tiny in small pots. My aphids did not bother my tomatoes, just the peppers and sunflowers. In my seedling trays i put a couple sunflower seeds in a corner cell. Kept the buggers of my tiny seedlings. |
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#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NewYork 5a
Posts: 2,303
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Yes, lady bugs are the ticket but without large number to feed on they will move on.
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