beartoe
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Posts: 4
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 2:59 pm
Location: Ventura, CA

Heirloom with wilted leaves + bumps on stems - needs help

Everything had been going really well with this heirloom in a pot on my balcony (some sort of peach, have forgotten its exact name). Lots of sun, and if anything I was erring on the side of too little water. The plant has tons of flowers and I was looking forward to a plentiful harvest.

Instead, a couple days ago we see much wilting with some of the shriveled leaves turning yellow:
[img]https://imgur.com/uuEc9.jpg[/img]

[img]https://imgur.com/2xRQZ.jpg[/img]

Then noticed these little bumps on the stems:
[img]https://imgur.com/cUNvg.jpg[/img]

It doesn't look like tobacco mosaic, nor does it seem like verticillium wilt because many of the leaves are wilting but not necessarily changing color.
Help would be appreciated. Please and thanks.

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Kisal
Mod Emeritus
Posts: 7646
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:04 am
Location: Oregon

It looks like scale insects to me. Unfortunately, I don't know of a good organic treatment for scale. I'm sure someone who has that information will come along soon, though. :)

GreaterGardens
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Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 12:50 pm
Location: Brisbane

An easy organic solution to scale is spraying with white oil. Even though its a petroleum product, its still considered organic. Spray them early in the morning and don't spray them when the daytime temperature is expected to be high. Alternatively you can use pyrethrum or any soap based sprays such as natrasoap. Also you can make up sprays of chili and garlic. You'll find plenty of recipes online for this. Hope this helps.

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rainbowgardener
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Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I can't see the bottom two pics, just says image no longer available. So I can't see what you are talking about. If Kisal says scale she knows what she is talking about. But you do know that the stems of tomatoes put out little whitish bumps naturally? It is trying to root along the stem, even though the stem is not buried.

Looks something like this:

[img]https://www.veggiegardener.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Bumpy-Stems-on-Tomato-Plant.jpg[/img]

or this

[img]https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cf7HO12CPkc/TkWx8XbEXKI/AAAAAAAAAbs/RsZbdSe4s4U/s1600/Tomato_Stem_Primordia.jpg[/img]

technically they are called primordia. But as I said, I can't see your pix, so I don't know if that is what you are talking about.

Likewise, it is natural for the oldest leaves at the bottom to turn yellow and shrivel up. They are aged, the plants sucks the nutrients back out of them and is finished with them.

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gixxerific
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Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:42 pm
Location: Wentzville, MO (Just West oF St. Louis) Zone 5B

I have even heard of using rubbing alchohol it will kill them but not remove them. Just a light scrub will do the trick. Test ti frist on a small area.

Remove effected stems.



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