Bluish Metallic Leaves
 

[IMG]http://www.tomatoville.com/album.php?albumid=441[/IMG]

This is the second year I have had blueish leaves and the plants just hardly produce. I planted in an entirely different spot and still I have the issue again. Searching the internet I can not find any answers. The plants almost look metallic. I see no evidence of insects. Anyone seen this before?
I am a failure at submitting pictures. [url]http://www.tomatoville.com/album.php?albumid=441&pictureid=2632[/url]
Barb

Barb, your leaves are looking metallic because they are growing upside down. You are seeing the undersides of the leaves. What are you fertilizing them with? How much or how little water are these plants getting?

I am suspecting that they have been fed a high dose of nitrogen and that is what is causing the blueness of the leaves as well as the roll. It could also be from over/under watering of the plants or a combination of these things.

I am stumped. I will have a bluish plant and then a green leaved plant next to it. I always test low in nitrogen here. Last year I used alfalfa meal and fish kelp and the soil test results came back low again in nitrogen and I was given the amount of blood meal to add as well as gypsum and I followed the advice as to the amount and measured. Our local CSA farmer friend thought an overdose in nitrogen too but the results say not. But I can test with a home test to check again. These plants do have some old cottonwood leaves as mulch and I do have some wood chips that I can use as well that are beginning to decompose. I don't understand the shiny metallic look as if they are possessed. I have not used any Miracle Grow or such. I did also test low in potassium. I have a drip system with a timer and I suspect I do need to water more. It also seems strange that the last two years and not previous years I have seen the blue tinge. My horticulturist friend thought aerial spraying but no one is growing crops close to us.
I appreciate that you answered me and offered suggestions.
Here is another picture. [url]http://www.tomatoville.com/album.php?albumid=441&pictureid=2633[/url]
Barb

Barb, is the blueish look of the leaves what you are seeing from the top? What color does the bottom surface look like?
Also do you know the PH of your soil from your soil test?

It's hard to say from those pictures really. Are the plants completely stunted?
There's also this description about manganese deficiency: 'They begin with a light chlorosis of the young leaves and netted veins of the mature leaves especially when they are viewed through transmitted light. As the stress increases, the leaves take on a gray metallic sheen and develop dark freckled and necrotic areas along the veins. A purplish luster may also develop on the upper surface of the leaves.'

Cool June weather caused variances of blue/purplish nutrient deficiencies in my container garden that are nearly only attributable to temperature. The root zone gets cold, the plant cannot uptake nutrients properly, nitrogen gets processed but a lot of other things don't.

The deficiencies were most notable in smallest containers, the least insulating. A 3gal and 5gal experiment were stopped in their tracks, and the 7gal containers had a touch of it, and the 10's and 15's were unaffected.

Just an idea, but your weather is somewhat like my weather.

Thank you for all of the help. I also e mailed a photo to the person who sent me my soil test. In regards to ph: "The soil pH is 7.5 but the Lime (reaction to HCl) is slight. This indicates that the calcium is starting to be depleted in your raised beds. There are several sources of calcium available, but gypsum is easy to find. Get a small bag of Gypsum and apply 1.5 to 2 lbs to each raised bed." The test did not include manganese so I am going to research that. Last year the problem was later in the year and it is alarming this is happening now. I have only Glacier with fruits starting to show color. The plants are not stunted in height but not full foliage as the other plants not affected.
Thanks,
Barb

I can see why he suggested Gypsum as a calcium source, you certainly don't need anything that would raise your PH any higher like lime. I thought maybe you had sodic soil considering where you live, gypsum is recommended to displace sodium in such soils but you've got raised beds so I wouldn't think you had overly high sodium levels.

I don't understand why the test would come back as low on N with the liquid fish, alfalfa meal and blood meal you added. I wouldn't add any wood chips or leaves that are not fully composted as decomposition would take nitrogen from your soil.

[QUOTE=barbamWY;651438]I always test low in nitrogen here. Last year I used alfalfa meal and fish kelp and the soil test results came back low again in nitrogen and I was given the amount of blood meal to add as well as gypsum and I followed the advice as to the amount and measured.
Barb[/QUOTE]

If I were you, I'd try using a commercial tomato fertilizer on some of the affected plants and see what happens. Soil building using organic amendments takes a long time, and in the meantime, plants get hungry.

I applied some Vigaro Tomato and Vegetable Plant Food plus calcium. It also has micronutrients so hopefully the plants show an improvement. I'm leaving soon for vacation and wondering if I should spray with Serenade or a copper spray before I leave.

I have found the answer. I put out a blue sticky trap and it had many tiny insects on it. I took it to my friend at the extension office. I have an invasion of thrips. They are babies and sucking the life out of my plants. I used Sevin 8 days ago and rinsed the plants off yesterday and sprayed with Miracle Grow. I ordered Spinosad arriving today. I hate to resort to chemicals. My plants were left on drip while my husband I were on vacation for 2 1/2 weeks so the thrips multiplied. I picked tomatoes today and soaked in soap and rinsed well. Any thoughts?