The main garden in in the back. There are three tomato plants in large pots in front. One tomato in the front has this problem with top leaves turning black. It is on tomatoes, parsnips, sunflowers -- but not all of them. Please help to identify and tell me what can be done. I sprayed with a mixture of Murphy's oil soap, baking soda, vegetable oil & water but saw no improvement.
Don't want to lose my entire garden :-( I have more than the 5 photo uploads alowed so can post more in any of my DG friends are willing to help.
Thank you - thank you - thank you,
Suny
Disease? Fungus? bugs? Top leaves turning black Help please`
This is a hard problem to diagnose because it could be something as simple as a potassium deficiency or a fungal wilt; which could be a bacterial wilt, fusarium wilt or verticillium wilt, or a bacterial canker; from what I can find about brown/black wilted leaves. It does not look like curly top which is spread by leaf hoppers. If this is the case, remove affected parts and use a row cover to protect the plants. As well as using a compost around the plants. There are other controls to deal with leaf hoppers.
If it is a potassium deficiency, kelp meal, granite dust, greensand and sparingly wood ashes added to the soil might reverse the problem. Epsoma products are the best to use(Amazon.com or sometimes Lowe's carries this product)
I refer to the book I have in my library and recommend it to you as well; perhaps you can find it at a local library:
The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control by Fern M. Bradley, Barbara Ellis, Deborah Martin: states on page 208 under Tomatoes that: symptoms:
" leaves with brown edges. Cause: Bacterial canker. Lower leaves wilt and curl up; stems develop light colored streaks and are brown and mealy inside. Destroy infected plants. To prevent problems, avoid wounding plants; don't work amid wet plants."
(I know this entry does not help at all...)
Further, on page 324-325 on the bacterial wilt, fusarium or verticillium: the entries read:
for fusarium "Wilt fungi cause leaves to yellow and leaf stems to droop, giving plants a wilted appearance. The yellow leaf patches turn brown and may spread to cover whole leaves. Leaves often fall early, and the plants will die. Symptoms usually first appear on the lower or outer parts of plants; or on one side of a plant. Common hosts include tomatoes, peas, peppers, melons, dahlias and mimosa trees. Fusarium wilt thrives in warmer areas. Verticillium wilt is more common in cool weather in temperate area of the country.
With Fusarium wilt, plant resistant cultivars. Crop rotation is of limited value because it can survive in the soil a number of years even in the absence of a susceptible plant. Remove and destroy infected plants. Soil solarization may reduce the incidence.
There is also, no remedy or cure for V. wilt. the mose effective preventive is the use of wilt resistant cultivars.
Adding compost to soil may help by boosting populations of beneficial fungi.
I know this is all complicated and there is no easy answer. I hope that another DG can better diagnose and give you other measures. Good luck!
Sunny, did you ever figure out what is wrong with your plants?
You might want to post the pictures on the tomato forum. There's a lady over there named Carolyn that is really on top of tomato plants.
And/Or you might want to take some leaves to your local county agent and see what they say. Take them in a plastic baggies so the disease doesn't spread.
Good luck. Wish I could have helped.
Thanks yawl,
Erzsebet - yes it does all seem confusing, but not totally impossible. Seems as though you diagnosed the problem very well from just a picture and short description. I passed the info along to my friend. He has removed all the affected leaves/tops - gave good dose of epsom salts, dusted with wood ash and the plants seem to have recovered beautifully.
A week or so later I discovered similar -- but not exact traits on some of my tomato plants. These are in a wood square in the front - to be closer to the house than the garden for comfort of running out and getting a fresh tomato or two -- and only a couple of plants on one side were funky and wilted looking. I cut these off and destroyed in my fire circle. Then today after a good rain last night, I was looking at my plants and found the culprit. It's a worm but not the green horned ugly thing. This one is black with green stripe -- Tomato worm?
So I found two and picked them off then dusted all the plants with a mixture of diatomaceous earth and wood ash I saved from my stove this winter.
Birder - thanks for the info. I'll certainly check out the tomato forum and look for Carolyn. I grow a lot of things, but tomatoes are my favorite.
My friend says thanks, also. He has no interest in having or using a computer himself so I am more than glad to look up anything he needs. He's my best friend and gardening buddy. His passion is sweet potatoes!!
Suny
Not positive, but how about one of the Army worms.
A caterpillar, any way you look at it, so responsive to Dipel and other materials containing B. t.
Diana - I don't know what B. t. is - Is it Bacilus Thuringiensis? I just looked up Dipel, which I've not heard of yet, either. Do you think this would be more effective than diatomaceous earth? Having read about it, I think this is a good product in which I should invest if I see any more of these caterpillar critters.
Just sprayed a few days ago with a mixture of Neem oil, hot pepper juice and water. This sticks to the leaves. Then late yesterday, I dusted with diatomaceous earth since more more rain is forecast. We've had an unusual abundance of rain here -- which does not help the caterpillar problem. But sure does help plant growth.
Thanks for the info.
Have A Grateful Day,
Suny
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