Are My Tomatoes Doomed?

[westocast73]

Ok this is my first year growing tomatoes. I don't know much about Virus/Diseases other than what I have read here and other sources but no first hand experience at all. After a small delay of sitting with my tomatoes hoping everytime I looked that the sunlight would have changed and the mysterious discolouration gone but it hasn't happened so time to ask the experts.

I believe it to be on all my tomatoes but this is the current worse leaf I can find. Almost all the tomatoes have a bit of leaf curl though and at least one leaf on ever plant appears to be starting to show the discolouration and it is always on older more mature leaves. Also the leaves aren't as curled in the AM ( at least this is what I noticed over the first 3 days I have noticed leaves curling ) Also this is the first day I have noticed the discolouration. Thanks for any information.

[peppereater]

I'm not an expert on disease, but I don't see anything that looks like disease on those leaves. I'm wondering, though, what those tiny white specks are. I'm thinking there may be a few mealybugs there, but it's hard to tell. Curling is fairly normal and may not mean anything, some discoloration, especially on older leaves, is common. Can you post pics of more leaves, some newer growth, too? Check the undersides of the leaves for mealybugs and spidermites.

[westocast73]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I am just about to go out for the day so additional pictures will likely have to wait until tomorrow. I did check the undersides when I took the picture though and there wasn't anything visible on them. The new growth also doesn't look bad at all and is quite green with no visible discolouration. I will though take pictures and post them ASAP .

[westocast73]

Hope these help.

[peppereater]

I hope someone else weighs in on this soon. Some of my plants look no different than yours, so I hope this is normal. I'd say the plants look healthy. I'm going out to the garden right now, and I'll take a close look at mine again.
What kind of tomatoes are you growing?

[feldon30]

Looks ok to me. A little physiological leaf roll.

[westocast73]

Thanks for the help , As I said earlier this is my first experience with tomatoes so I guess I am a bit of a panic freak. I really do appreciate the help though. I will seek counselling eventually .

peppereater - I am growing mainly OP's with a couple Hybrids mixed in. I picked mainly more well known ones and a few lesser knowns in my area just to experiment.

The list is

Big Beef
Black Krim
Brandywine
Caspian Pink
Cherokee Purple
Golden Queen
Homesweet
Koralik
Lemon Boy
Miracle Sweet
Nepal
Ponderosa
Purple Prince
Sweet 100's ( Picked up at nursery because Koralik didnt sprout until very late )
Tigerella

So far though no harvested Tomatoes as its still early in our season but Purple Prince Lmeon Boy and Miracle Sweet all have golf ball sized Tomatoes and the rest are flowering with the exception of Big Beef.

[KCMO_Don]

I wish my plants looked HALF that good!!!

[feldon30]

You could do worse on your first varieties in your first year of growing tomatoes. I'm a little envious.

[peppereater]

That is a great list. You're in for a great season, I think.

[westocast73]

Thanks KCMO , I hope your plants do as well as apprently mine look to you. ( even though a couple of days ago I thought they looked like they were dying hehe )

Thanks Feldon , I picked mainly based on what people seemed to be talking about the most online and around my city and a few that sounded interesting to me. I should mention I am pretty sure the Brandywine is a Pink Brandywine but can't remember for sure and have it labelled as Brandywine

Thanks Pepper! Hope your season goes well too. 8)


I must admit to all of you though that I am really not sure if I am even a Tomato fan as I am actually a 23 year old who is trying to kick the habit of fast food and prepared foods from grocery stores by growing my own veggie garden. So far the only things I have had to eat from it though are different Lettuce's which have been quite nice although the last couple the slugs had discovered. I am though pleased so far with my organic little gardening experiment. I have a 12 by 20 foot Veggie patch and a 25 Foot long Tomato patch. The veggies for this year are Spinach, Lettuce, Swiss Chard , Sugar Peas, Pole Beans, Carrotts, Onions , Assorted Herbs , Bell Peppers, Banana Pepper, Portugese Pepper (I forgot the name of) and Eggplant. I figure at some point this is all probably going to become soup when I am sick of trying to figure out what to do with the different veggies.


Thanks again though for the help and nice words. It is appreciated as I really was devastated with the thought of losing my Tomatoes that I had babied from seed.

[feldon30]

I think that's commendible. I'm an old timer here -- 30.

I'm not like a tomato fanatic, but I love to cook and remember what tomatoes and watermelons were supposed to taste like. Also got fed up paying $2/ea for red bell peppers and $8/lb for yellow wax beans around here. So I figured I'd try to grow those 4 and go from there.

Now, of course, I'm hooked. Even if you like a tomato sandwich "as much as the next gal/guy", I think you will be impressed with the taste of some or most of those tomato varieties. I've never really had an inclination to eat a large tomato without any bread, mayo, etc. until that first Cherokee Purple.

[peppereater]

Growing from seed, especially some of those varieties, you WILL be a fanatic in no time. Just wait till you pick a big ole tomato you grew yourself!

[westocast73]

Yes I am deffinetly looking forward to my first Tomatoes. My largest fruits on them right now belong to a purple prince which has a fruit about 50% larger than a golfball =). Followed closely by a lemon boy.

Just really glad though they aren't dying and the discolouration and leaf curl hasnt changed at all since posting pictures so all looks well. 8)