Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

Information and discussion regarding garden diseases, insects and other unwelcome critters.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old December 6, 2016   #16
wlkbbrer
Tomatovillian™
 
wlkbbrer's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Northeastern Pennsylvania
Posts: 15
Default

Pretty sure you guys are correct. I did do a visual inspection but it was after I had removed the damaged plants. I've since sprayed with insecticidal soap and followed up this evening with neem oil .

Thanks for all the help!

Anything else you think I should do? Should I still get copper spray or bleach?
wlkbbrer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 6, 2016   #17
PureHarvest
Tomatovillian™
 
PureHarvest's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
Default

I would not worry about spraying for diseases on such small plants.
Put your efforts into modifying their environment.
Warm temps around 70-75 would be good. Hopefully the root zone is not cold though the air might be in that range.
Keep the soil from being saturated. Don't let the plants sit in pans or saucers that collect and retain the run off when you water. Dump them out after they are done draining off. I don't know what light they are getting but it needs to be BRIGHT. If you are using flourescents, put them so close to the tops of the plants that they are practically touching the leaves.
Really push it between waterings. Soil should be rather dry before you water. They don't need water indoors like outside in summer unless it is a hot area like a greenhouse with natural direct light or you are using a HPS or metal halide light in a small space.

Last edited by PureHarvest; December 6, 2016 at 07:51 PM.
PureHarvest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 6, 2016   #18
wlkbbrer
Tomatovillian™
 
wlkbbrer's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Northeastern Pennsylvania
Posts: 15
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PureHarvest View Post
I would not worry about spraying for diseases on such small plants.
Put your efforts into modifying their environment.
Warm temps around 70-75 would be good. Hopefully the root zone is not cold though the air might be in that range.
Keep the soil from being saturated. Don't let the plants sit in pans or saucers that collect and retain the run off when you water. Dump them out after they are done draining off. I don't know what light they are getting but it needs to be BRIGHT. If you are using flourescents, put them so close to the tops of the plants that they are practically touching the leaves.
Really push it between waterings. Soil should be rather dry before you water. They don't need water indoors like outside in summer unless it is a hot area like a greenhouse with natural direct light or you are using a HPS or metal halide light in a small space.
I think I'm doing most of that. Same setup I used all last year and things were great. Brought some plants (peppers) in from outside for the first time this year to attempt overwintering. I really think that they brought in the problem. Everything else is brand new. Pots, soil, seed, trays...

I haven't "pushed it" between waterings, that can very well be a part of the problem. Should I let them start to wilt at all? I've just been lifting the containers, when it feels light I water.

I have 2 basil plants, 2 new pepper plants and 14 tomato plants still here (micro tom, red robin, tiny tim). The Red Robing were the infected plants that I removed along with 1 micro Tom that had very minor damage but had the white cocoon looking stuff on back of its leaves causing it to scrunch up a little bit (see 2nd set of pics, Post #9).

I have 2'x4' shelves with 8- 4' T5 HO flour. bulbs about an inch above most plants. I do bottom water but I do it in a separate tray. I never let them sit in water. I have lights on from 7am until 10pm. Temps overnight (lights off gets down to about 66deg), lights on its mid 70's. I have two 9" clip on fans on low keeping the air moving on each shelf only while lights are on. Anything else I should be doing?

I sprayed all the plants including peppers. I have some neem oil so I'll probably do that to the peppers as well.

Hopefully I can save what I have growing and keep the pest damage to a minimum.

Thanks
Scott

Last edited by wlkbbrer; December 6, 2016 at 08:14 PM.
wlkbbrer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 6, 2016   #19
PureHarvest
Tomatovillian™
 
PureHarvest's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
Default

Scott, everything sounds right on.
I'd water right before wilt, no need to stress them in the other direction.
Whenever I see leaves like on pic number 1, I just think watering but it sounds like you know what u are doing there.
I know some people are big on fans, but in indoor winter conditions, I don't see the point. I would think it would lower the temp. It's not like your leaves are wet all the time and you need the fan to keep you leaves dry to prevent disease.
That's also why I wouldn't spray for disease. You have to have water or humidity on the leaves for fungus to get a foothold. I imagine your leaves are/were always dry. Which is also why I don't think we are looking at a disease problem. Look up 'edema on tomatoes' on google images and scan through the dozens of different presentations of the problem. It's not always corky white raised areas.
Add to that a hitchhiker thrips and that might be an explanation.

Last edited by PureHarvest; December 6, 2016 at 09:08 PM.
PureHarvest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 6, 2016   #20
wlkbbrer
Tomatovillian™
 
wlkbbrer's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Northeastern Pennsylvania
Posts: 15
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PureHarvest View Post
Scott, everything sounds right on.
I'd water right before wilt, no need to stress them in the other direction.
Whenever I see leaves like on pic number 1, I just think watering but it sounds like you know what u are doing there.
I know some people are big on fans, but in indoor winter conditions, I don't see the point. I would think it would lower the temp. It's not like your leaves are wet all the time and you need the fan to keep you leaves dry to prevent disease.
That's also why I wouldn't spray for disease. You have to have water or humidity on the leaves for fungus to get a foothold. I imagine your leaves are/were always dry. Which is also why I don't think we are looking at a disease problem. Look up 'edema on tomatoes' on google images and scan through the dozens of different presentations of the problem. It's not always corky white raised areas.
Add to that a hitchhiker thrips and that might be an explanation.
It sure looks like it could be edema. Ok, so now I think you guys have it figured out. I'm gonna try watering less and see if that helps. Fortunately there were only a few leaves that were suffering. I will turn off the fans. I am definitely on the lookout for anymore signs of thrips or other bug damage.

Last question: What would you suggest I keep the temp at during the dark period (10pm-7am)? Right now its set at 66 degrees. Would a few degrees warmer or colder help? What do you think?

Really appreciate all the help. Spending a lot of time trying to learn everything I can. Unfortunately I sometimes read too much. If I tried to do everything and add everything I've learned that others do I'd have to build another room just to keep all my chemicals, sprays........ I'm rambling

Thanks,
Scott
wlkbbrer is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:34 PM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★