Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[ginger2778]

Brock they don't sound like the whiteflies I have seen, mine always flew well. Google whitefly photos to help identify them.

[DocBrock]

They've got to be some type of whitefly. They're just so stinkin small, you wouldn't be able to see them unless they were bright white.

In other news, I was pollinating watermelon flowers today and saw these beasties under a leaf. No clue what they are, they never moved. Might have been dead already, but there were eggs next to them. Didn't see any on any other leaves of that plant, or any other plants. My guess would be some sort of aphid but not sure.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by DocBrock

They've got to be some type of whitefly. They're just so stinkin small, you wouldn't be able to see them unless they were bright white.

In other news, I was pollinating watermelon flowers today and saw these beasties under a leaf. No clue what they are, they never moved. Might have been dead already, but there were eggs next to them. Didn't see any on any other leaves of that plant, or any other plants. My guess would be some sort of aphid but not sure.

Aphids for sure.

[DocBrock]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Aphids for sure.

On that same leaf I forgot to mention there were a group of "black" aphids that were also lifeless. I was just reading that black aphids are ones that have been parasitized. Any idea what would have done that? I've seen quite a few tiny wasps flying around, could they be braconids?

[kurt]

Time to fight back with a time tested proven methodLADYBUGS.Thats how ginger and I met over this same discussion.Those littlebuggerswill find lay eggs next to those little beasties.They cost as much as that bottled control method.Emphasize on “ control”.Never eradicate.Dispatch.Amazon will have them,remove the stickies for the time of those bugs are there.They the bugs do not forage they stay at food then move.The baby’s look like mini alligators,they will move after hatching.They store in your fridge,hibernate until you wake them up.

[DocBrock]

Originally Posted by kurt

Time to fight back with a time tested proven methodLADYBUGS.Thats how ginger and I met over this same discussion.Those littlebuggerswill find lay eggs next to those little beasties.They cost as much as that bottled control method.Emphasize on “ control”.Never eradicate.Dispatch.Amazon will have them,remove the stickies for the time of those bugs are there.They the bugs do not forage they stay at food then move.The baby’s look like mini alligators,they will move after hatching.They store in your fridge,hibernate until you wake them up.

Kurt, if I put a mosquito net "cage" over my plants will that help keep the ladybugs around long enough to eat all the pests? I don't wanna buy them and have them take off right away. I would
Like to release a ton into my landscaping with hopes that they'd take up residence in the bushes. I worry about my perimeter foundation pest control treatments killing good stuff though. Palmetto bugs and spiders in the house don't bother me, but I don't want termites to move in. I actually let a few geckos go in the house to eat flies and other bugs. I see the ones I let in 6 months ago from time to time on the living room wall.

[DocBrock]

So I had a few determinate BHN-602 plants in buckets that are on their way out after producing a ton of fruit this year. I set them aside to pull when I got time this week, but this evening I went over to check if any of the remaining green tomatoes had blushed and found the leaves pictured below. What might that be? Possible the russet mites that were mentioned in this thread a few weeks ago? That variety is resistant to TSWV, F1,2,3, and V. Those buckets are also planted in the nature's care soil that was infested with spider mites. Was never able to get them under control, but I've not seen any red bugs on the leaves. I've been seeing lots of thrips on my sticky cards the last few days, so not sure what else it could be. Those plants took a beating this year with wind and sun exposure, im really surprised they produced as heavy as they did. I'm getting rid of the plants tomorrow, but am curious for disease ID in the future.

[ginger2778]

Nutrient deficiency. Interveinal chlorosis, get some soluble micronutrients. This is usually a magnesium deficit.

[Zone9b]

Would Epson Salts work? I'm not trying to compete with you (Marsha). I know you have a lot more knowledge about growing tomatoes than I do.

[DocBrock]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Nutrient deficiency. Interveinal chlorosis, get some soluble micronutrients. This is usually a magnesium deficit.

That's wild, I've put so much cal-mag in there that I thought for sure I was overdoing it. Maybe just more Epsom salts and less calmag?

[ginger2778]

Brock-I would go with a good full spectrum micros fert. Reason is sometimes when you increase too much of one fert, it throws another out of balance.This way you are covered. Yes, epsom salt alone might just help, but could throw the balance off for other micronutrients.
Larry, it isn't my official job to be the diagnoser, we all contribute to this community, and you have a great deal of respectable knowledge my friend. I do not feel that a helpful constructive comment like yours is in competition with me.


Brock, I haven't used cal-mag, but I use 1 teaspoon of calcium nitrate, with 1/3 teaspoon of epsom salt, mixed into 3 gallons water.(Basically, I just throw the dry measures down the Earthbox tube.)

[ginger2778]

Brock, read this page. AKMark, our maybe best grower, uses this product in this way. I don't use the 4-18-38, because I use the Tomato Tone strip, but you can see how much to use of the calcium nitrate and Epsom salts.
https://hydro-gardens.com/product/to...s-bag-4-18-38/

Brock, read this thread with photos by AKMark too. He also sends a tissue sample once per week to the Hydrogardens folks to make sure his plants get enouh nutrients.
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...839#post697839

[DocBrock]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Brock-I would go with a good full spectrum micros fert. Reason is sometimes when you increase too much of one fert, it throws another out of balance.This way you are covered. Yes, epsom salt alone might just help, but could throw the balance off for other micronutrients.
Larry, it isn't my official job to be the diagnoser, we all contribute to this community, and you have a great deal of respectable knowledge my friend. I do not feel that a helpful constructive comment like yours is in competition with me.


Brock, I haven't used cal-mag, but I use 1 teaspoon of calcium nitrate, with 1/3 teaspoon of epsom salt, mixed into 3 gallons water.(Basically, I just throw the dry measures down the Earthbox tube.)

Your instructions for Epsom salt and calcinit is what I do for my earthboxes, but I've had to water from above for those buckets. I've fertilized the buckets every few weeks with tomatotone, following the package instructions. In addition to scratching in the tt, I've watered once a week with the 1-0-0 calmag mixed into a gallon of water. That product is 5% Ca and 1% Mg, made from calcium carbonate and magnesium nitrate. I've not had any problems with my other bucket plants following the same regimen. Those are my only determinates though, so I don't know how they start to look at the end of their life cycle.

[ginger2778]

What I do is 33%, what you have in the calmag is 20% epsom salt. But your choice,your plants. I am just trying to be helpful. Determinates just get leaves dying off, no new leafs or growth after they finish fruiting (but might get s new shoot from the base). They do not get interveinal chlorosis. That's a nutrient deficiency.
Edited because yours isn't MgSo4.

[DocBrock]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

What I do is 33%, what you have in the calmag is 20% epsom salt. But your choice,your plants. I am just trying to be helpful. Determinates just get leaves dying off, no new leafs or growth after they finish fruiting (but might get s new shoot from the base). They do not get interveinal chlorosis. That's a nutrient deficiency.

No I'll absolutely take your advice, that's why I asked. I just figured a product that's supposed to be a magnesium supplement would be adequate but I guess I'll just dig under the bathroom sink for the cheap stuff and be in better shape. Thanks for the advice.