Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (w/ Pix) - Page 4

**Mischka** · June 11, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by hasshoes

Is this that?

Most of my plants seem to have it. . .

It happened the day after I went a bit crazy with the Serenade and the Neem oil. . .

What mix ratio did you use when you mixed the Neem oil with water, or did you buy one of those ready-to-use premixed solutions? Too much Neem oil will leave your plants with a coating, much like using a suntan lotion without sunscreen....a sunburn is sure to follow.

Neem oil on tomato plants, while somewhat effective on pests, also has the potential to turn leaves crispy if not mixed completely with an emulsifier, such as common hand dishwashing liquid.

Last question - did you apply the Serenade and Neem at the same time?

hasshoes · June 11, 2007

I used "ready to spray neem" and within about 10 days used the entire bottle (on about 30 seedlings). . . it kept raining so I kept spraying, and I keep seeing bunches of what I'm pretty sure are thrips!

I did spray the serenade and neem at the same time. . . could that be why some of the planted plants were/are drooping?

I think I'll plant my last few seedlings without doing anything. . . I bet they'll turn into the best plants

UPDATE: After re-checking google, I can say for sure I picked off thrips today. . . both the flying ones and one of those icky worm-like green kind. Can I get rid of them fast with pred. nematodes or pirate bugs? I also I have an ant infestation in one area I'm trying to get rid of. . . . Should I stop trying to go "all natural"? It is afterall a kooty infested community garden. . . .

Thanks Mishka! :-)

**Mischka** · June 12, 2007

I'm a firm believer that spraying any combination of garden chemicals (pesticides/fungicides/bactericides) simultaneously isn't a good thing. I know that it's tempting to save some time by applying both at once but I think it's best to rotate treatments and spray one a few days after the other one.

As for your thrip problem, you could try spraying your plants (preferably at sunrise or it that's not possible, at dusk) with a solution of 1 tablespoon of ordinary hand dishwashing liquid mixed with a gallon of water. Hint: Add the soap AFTER you fill your container or sprayer and mix well.

When mixing soap solutions, always remember "LESS is MORE". Adding more soap than 1 tbsp. per gallon will NOT kill the thrips any quicker and may very well damage your tomato plants.

You'll need to do this for a few consecutive days to see any results. If this doesn't help control your thrip problem, you may have to bring out the big guns, like permethrin or another non-selective insecticide.

hasshoes · June 12, 2007

Thanks Mishka. . . two last questions. . . is the "all natural" kind of dish liquid okay (will it work) and will this plan of action just kill the currant thrips, or will it actually keep them off?

I don't know if this is possible, but I think a thrip bit me today

!!!!!

Mega thanks again!!!!

**Mischka** · June 12, 2007

Soaps kill by washing away the protective waxy coating of soft bodied insects, such as aphids and thrips, by entering the pest’s respiratory system and causing internal damage. Soaps are not as effective in controlling hard bodied insects such as beetles, wasps, bees and flies. This is why soaps are often considered environmentally friendly, as they selectively kill many of the soft-bodied pests, but rarely bother hard bodied beneficials such as ladybug beetles and predaceous wasps.

Soap has zero residual value as an insecticide. It is only effective against insects that come into contact with the wet spray. Once the spray has dried, insects will not be harmed by walking over the residue. Coverage is extremely important - spraying the upper leaf surface will miss many of these insects since they are often found under or within curled leaves. Drench your plants well!

I actually prefer soaps that are made from natural substances vs. petroleum by-products. These salts of fatty acids, from vegetable oils and fats, are what most soaps are made from. Oleic acid, found in olive oil, is the most common insecticidal fatty acid and many hand dishwashing liquid makers incorporate these same soaps in their products, regardless of whether or not they tout them as "all-natural".

feldon30 · June 12, 2007

All kinds of pesticides were used in Florida to try to control the thrips causing TSWV. From organic all the way to the most toxic substances that Federal law allows. None had any noticeable effect. Thrips travel to your plants, bite them, and then die. The problem is you've already got TSWV as soon as they bit the plants.

hasshoes · June 12, 2007

That's not helping my anxiety Feldon!!!

ps- I think one bit me (it hurt like %@&#@$!!!!!). . . does that mean I have TSWV?
;0)

pss- Did they try beneficial nematodes or predator bugs?

rnewste · June 12, 2007

hasshoes,

Here is a pretty good link with pictures from Colorado State regarding tomato problems, and potential cures.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/Garden/02949.html

Ray

Liz · June 23, 2007

Thanks, Lee for posting these great pics.
I told a fellow gardener that TSWD reminded me of the Blight that that wiped out Ireland's tomato crop.
I would like to think that we learned sometings from that famine. So, if we know the wilt is going to move in, and we do. Instead of keepin' on keepin on with plants that succumb, perhaps we should start choosing plants that march thru' (don't die) and bear some fruit. I wonder how many tomatovillieans out there have had better luck with certain plant choices. I know that Clemson is doing research on TSWD. maybe we should start a thread that invites tomato growers to discuss TSWD.

**nctomatoman** · June 23, 2007

It is quite an odd disease. I have 80 plants in pots, in close proximity. TSW hit one dwarf in each of the 4 rows, and 1 indeterminate - the last to get it was over a week ago. The other 75 plants are perfect - even those on each side of the infected plant. Seems like perhaps thrips have a short lifetime, and once the infected thrips go, there goes the main vector of infection? I assume(d) that if thrips hit an infected plant then visit an uninfected plant, they pass it along. Anyway, I feel fortunate with the limited infection rate (thus far...who knows what next week brings).

shelleybean · June 23, 2007

Yep, I keep checking mine, too. I've only had two infected plants so far this year so I'm doing a lot better than last season already. Unfortunately, the two that I had to pull were my only green-when-ripes. I wonder if the thrips were more attracted to those two plants or was it totally random? I hope what you said is true Craig and all the ones carrying TSWV are history or on their way out.

Liz · June 23, 2007

Thanks for the link to the pics. My heart is heavy tonight. I had to pull 3 plants that I believe had TSWD..... hmm....
Rodger, a fellow tomatovillean, showed me his plants. He had a kazilliion, or at least several hundred heirlooms, and he gave me cuttings of many. I hope to get them in the ground by 7/4.

feldon30 · June 24, 2007

Is anyone trying aluminium foil? Or is that not really viable in a home garden?

shelleybean · June 24, 2007

Looks like my Lollipop plant now has TSWV too.

I've never tried foil on a tomato plant. I did try it one year on a squash vine. I read an article in Kitchen Gardener magazine when that was still being published and it said to wrap the foil around the stem to keep the squash vine borer from getting in--didn't work. What's foil supposed to do to the thrips on tomatoes?

feldon30 · June 24, 2007

A sheet of foil laid down as a mulch is supposed to eliminate the safe place that thrips usually visit on the plant -- the underside of the leaves.

In a study, it was more effective than any of the strongest, most toxic pesticides available.

June 12, 2007	#48
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	I'm a firm believer that spraying any combination of garden chemicals (pesticides/fungicides/bactericides) simultaneously isn't a good thing. I know that it's tempting to save some time by applying both at once but I think it's best to rotate treatments and spray one a few days after the other one. As for your thrip problem, you could try spraying your plants (preferably at sunrise or it that's not possible, at dusk) with a solution of 1 tablespoon of ordinary hand dishwashing liquid mixed with a gallon of water. Hint: Add the soap AFTER you fill your container or sprayer and mix well. When mixing soap solutions, always remember "LESS is MORE". Adding more soap than 1 tbsp. per gallon will NOT kill the thrips any quicker and may very well damage your tomato plants. You'll need to do this for a few consecutive days to see any results. If this doesn't help control your thrip problem, you may have to bring out the big guns, like permethrin or another non-selective insecticide. __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

June 12, 2007	#50
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	Soaps kill by washing away the protective waxy coating of soft bodied insects, such as aphids and thrips, by entering the pest’s respiratory system and causing internal damage. Soaps are not as effective in controlling hard bodied insects such as beetles, wasps, bees and flies. This is why soaps are often considered environmentally friendly, as they selectively kill many of the soft-bodied pests, but rarely bother hard bodied beneficials such as ladybug beetles and predaceous wasps. Soap has zero residual value as an insecticide. It is only effective against insects that come into contact with the wet spray. Once the spray has dried, insects will not be harmed by walking over the residue. Coverage is extremely important - spraying the upper leaf surface will miss many of these insects since they are often found under or within curled leaves. Drench your plants well! I actually prefer soaps that are made from natural substances vs. petroleum by-products. These salts of fatty acids, from vegetable oils and fats, are what most soaps are made from. Oleic acid, found in olive oil, is the most common insecticidal fatty acid and many hand dishwashing liquid makers incorporate these same soaps in their products, regardless of whether or not they tout them as "all-natural". __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

June 23, 2007	#55
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	It is quite an odd disease. I have 80 plants in pots, in close proximity. TSW hit one dwarf in each of the 4 rows, and 1 indeterminate - the last to get it was over a week ago. The other 75 plants are perfect - even those on each side of the infected plant. Seems like perhaps thrips have a short lifetime, and once the infected thrips go, there goes the main vector of infection? I assume(d) that if thrips hit an infected plant then visit an uninfected plant, they pass it along. Anyway, I feel fortunate with the limited infection rate (thus far...who knows what next week brings). __________________ Craig

June 23, 2007	#56
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Yep, I keep checking mine, too. I've only had two infected plants so far this year so I'm doing a lot better than last season already. Unfortunately, the two that I had to pull were my only green-when-ripes. I wonder if the thrips were more attracted to those two plants or was it totally random? I hope what you said is true Craig and all the ones carrying TSWV are history or on their way out. __________________ Michele

June 24, 2007	#59
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Looks like my Lollipop plant now has TSWV too. I've never tried foil on a tomato plant. I did try it one year on a squash vine. I read an article in Kitchen Gardener magazine when that was still being published and it said to wrap the foil around the stem to keep the squash vine borer from getting in--didn't work. What's foil supposed to do to the thrips on tomatoes? __________________ Michele

June 11, 2007	#47
hasshoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: MT Posts: 438	I used "ready to spray neem" and within about 10 days used the entire bottle (on about 30 seedlings). . . it kept raining so I kept spraying, and I keep seeing bunches of what I'm pretty sure are thrips! I did spray the serenade and neem at the same time. . . could that be why some of the planted plants were/are drooping? I think I'll plant my last few seedlings without doing anything. . . I bet they'll turn into the best plants UPDATE: After re-checking google, I can say for sure I picked off thrips today. . . both the flying ones and one of those icky worm-like green kind. Can I get rid of them fast with pred. nematodes or pirate bugs? I also I have an ant infestation in one area I'm trying to get rid of. . . . Should I stop trying to go "all natural"? It is afterall a kooty infested community garden. . . . Thanks Mishka! :-)

June 12, 2007	#51
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	All kinds of pesticides were used in Florida to try to control the thrips causing TSWV. From organic all the way to the most toxic substances that Federal law allows. None had any noticeable effect. Thrips travel to your plants, bite them, and then die. The problem is you've already got TSWV as soon as they bit the plants.

June 12, 2007	#52
hasshoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: MT Posts: 438	That's not helping my anxiety Feldon!!! ps- I think one bit me (it hurt like %@&#@$!!!!!). . . does that mean I have TSWV? ;0) pss- Did they try beneficial nematodes or predator bugs?

June 12, 2007	#53
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	hasshoes, Here is a pretty good link with pictures from Colorado State regarding tomato problems, and potential cures. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/Garden/02949.html Ray

June 23, 2007	#54
Liz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 57	Thanks, Lee for posting these great pics. I told a fellow gardener that TSWD reminded me of the Blight that that wiped out Ireland's tomato crop. I would like to think that we learned sometings from that famine. So, if we know the wilt is going to move in, and we do. Instead of keepin' on keepin on with plants that succumb, perhaps we should start choosing plants that march thru' (don't die) and bear some fruit. I wonder how many tomatovillieans out there have had better luck with certain plant choices. I know that Clemson is doing research on TSWD. maybe we should start a thread that invites tomato growers to discuss TSWD.