need help ID

OzoneNY · August 31, 2016

so the brother in law in NY has a tomato problem. Half of the leaves have these pin holes in them, and the blossoms are basically shriveling and drying up and then dropping. A few of the blossoms made fruit but none in the last 3 weeks. Any ideas?
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Scooty · August 31, 2016

Looks like flea beetles + leaf miner damage.

OzoneNY · September 1, 2016

Thanks for the tip! Do flea beetles cause the blossoms to shrivel up and drop off?

ginger2778 · September 1, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzoneNY

Thanks for the tip! Do flea beetles cause the blossoms to shrivel up and drop off?

I noticed the blossoms shown are where set fruit also is. I have seen the plant reject blossoms and new fruit set until it finishes the round with the already set fruit. Once those are matured and picked, new fruit set occurs. Kinda normal for many varieties.
The plant can and does limit how much it can produce at one time, but will produce more.

brownrexx · September 1, 2016

I also see flea beetle (holes) and leaf miner damage (the squiggly white lines).

You are in TX, isn't it really hot there? Temperatures over 90 degrees will damage tomato pollen and cause the flowers to be infertile and drop off.

Insect damage will weaken the plant and may cause some blossoms to drop. The flea beetles devastated my eggplants and they quit blooming so maybe their damage causes blossom drop but I don't really know for sure.

OzoneNY · September 8, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownrexx

I also see flea beetle (holes) and leaf miner damage (the squiggly white lines).

You are in TX, isn't it really hot there? Temperatures over 90 degrees will damage tomato pollen and cause the flowers to be infertile and drop off.

Insect damage will weaken the plant and may cause some blossoms to drop. The flea beetles devastated my eggplants and they quit blooming so maybe their damage causes blossom drop but I don't really know for sure.

At the time I took those photos I was in Ossining NY. Those are my brother-in-laws tomato plants. His production is exceptionally low this year compared to prior years. While visiting I took a few pics of the leaf damage in hope TVille could point him in the correct direction.

gorbelly · September 23, 2016

I think I see leaf hopper damage, too. Re: flowers & low production--the NE coast has had unusually hot weather for uncharacteristically long stretches and lower rainfall. That can stress plants, especially for gardeners not practiced with how much water tomatoes need when the weather gets really hot. I know this year was a learning experience for me. I usually have the mindset that overwatering is the true enemy, but this year, I really had to turn that thinking upside down.

August 31, 2016	#1
OzoneNY Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Frisco Texas Posts: 390	need help ID so the brother in law in NY has a tomato problem. Half of the leaves have these pin holes in them, and the blossoms are basically shriveling and drying up and then dropping. A few of the blossoms made fruit but none in the last 3 weeks. Any ideas? IMG_20160830_181510980.jpg IMG_20160830_181503153.jpg IMG_20160830_181450220.jpg

August 31, 2016	#2
Scooty Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Chicago-land & SO-cal Posts: 583	Looks like flea beetles + leaf miner damage.

September 1, 2016	#3
OzoneNY Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Frisco Texas Posts: 390	Thanks for the tip! Do flea beetles cause the blossoms to shrivel up and drop off?

September 1, 2016	#5
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	I also see flea beetle (holes) and leaf miner damage (the squiggly white lines). You are in TX, isn't it really hot there? Temperatures over 90 degrees will damage tomato pollen and cause the flowers to be infertile and drop off. Insect damage will weaken the plant and may cause some blossoms to drop. The flea beetles devastated my eggplants and they quit blooming so maybe their damage causes blossom drop but I don't really know for sure.

September 23, 2016	#7
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	I think I see leaf hopper damage, too. Re: flowers & low production--the NE coast has had unusually hot weather for uncharacteristically long stretches and lower rainfall. That can stress plants, especially for gardeners not practiced with how much water tomatoes need when the weather gets really hot. I know this year was a learning experience for me. I usually have the mindset that overwatering is the true enemy, but this year, I really had to turn that thinking upside down.