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lpinkmountain

Something inside the leaves?

lpinkmountain
9 years ago

My tomatoes are languishing and I'm not sure why. To me, it looks like there is some kind of problem inside the leaves. It's not a classic miner type of thing, it looks more like something eating the fleshy parts of the leaves and leaving the veins. But then again, some of the veins look purplish so it might be psyllids. The tomatoes also have a lot of spider webs near them. Yes, spider webs because I can see the spiders in them, so it's not scale. I am at a total loss on how to treat them since I don't want to use something systemic on something I eat, not to mention the impacts on beneficials. I could apply something to the outside to prevent more bugs from getting in, but I'm not sure about that either, if that isn't going to do any good.

I have read about something called "Spinosad" online and I could try that if I knew for sure what my problem was. Any help on diagnosis and treatment? I can't see an actual bug so this is kind of difficult. It's just starting and I want to try and nip it in the bud if I can. I will be broken hearted if I loose these special tomatoes. They are golden romas, BTW! I started them from seed. They are growing in pots. We put them next to a straw bale bed and they may have picked up this malaise from the straw.

The main symptom is purplish veins, but only on some leaves, and the leaves are becoming less turgid, curling slightly along the margins, just look like they aren't doing well and I can see some whitish areas between the leaf cuticle. No yellowing or distinct curling. At this point, no sign of those little white mites on the outside.

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