One of those is potato......
Uniform Spots on Tomatoes & Potatoes
Anyone know what these are? So far they're just showing up on my Cherokee Purple for the most part and on the "shady" side. I noticed them on the potatoes too - which are not close to the Cherokee Purple. There's other tomatoes that are closer to the potatoes that have not spots on them at all. These tomatoes are in the ground. Looks like something might be eating them.
One of those is potato......
One of those is potato......
4-lined plant bugs, RogueRose.
Are you sure? I really don't want it to be a bug 
I was doing some reading/looking up online and I was thinking (now hoping) it might be Septoria. The side that these spots are on the Cherokee Purple is where the fig tree is and there were a TON of weeds there which I have just finished pulling out PLUS the fig tree infringing on the garden which I clipped back so there was little to no airflow. Couple that with our wet conditions lately and it seems like Septoria would be a culprit - especially since I am not seeing the spots anywhere else and not on any other tomato plants. The potatoes are getting pretty dense and lush and I can't keep up with hilling them, no more soil to do so.
If it IS the bug.....what can I do? As you can see otherwise the tomato is super green and lush and that goes for everything in my garden. I would like to keep it that way.
I was doing some reading/looking up online and I was thinking (now hoping) it might be Septoria. The side that these spots are on the Cherokee Purple is where the fig tree is and there were a TON of weeds there which I have just finished pulling out PLUS the fig tree infringing on the garden which I clipped back so there was little to no airflow. Couple that with our wet conditions lately and it seems like Septoria would be a culprit - especially since I am not seeing the spots anywhere else and not on any other tomato plants. The potatoes are getting pretty dense and lush and I can't keep up with hilling them, no more soil to do so. If it IS the bug.....what can I do? As you can see otherwise the tomato is super green and lush and that goes for everything in my garden. I would like to keep it that way.
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applestar
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Pretty sure.
I've been hand picking them. They scuttle out from under the leaf and try to drop to the ground or with my container plants on a table, I start pushing the leaves around from below the spotty leaves and they scramble to the edge of a leaf to try to fly away -- best method I found is to clap my hands sandwiching the leaf the bug is on.
Look around your garden -- if you have mint-related plants, or clover, they seem to start with those. As described in the linked post, I use the grab and snatch method.
-- ah reviewing our post, they were probably in those weeds.
I've been hand picking them. They scuttle out from under the leaf and try to drop to the ground or with my container plants on a table, I start pushing the leaves around from below the spotty leaves and they scramble to the edge of a leaf to try to fly away -- best method I found is to clap my hands sandwiching the leaf the bug is on.
Look around your garden -- if you have mint-related plants, or clover, they seem to start with those. As described in the linked post, I use the grab and snatch method.
-- ah reviewing our post, they were probably in those weeds.
I checked my mint....not a sign on them. They could have been in the weeds - they were holey too. Those are gone now....should I pinch off the affected leaves?applestar wrote:Pretty sure.
I've been hand picking them. They scuttle out from under the leaf and try to drop to the ground or with my container plants on a table, I start pushing the leaves around from below the spotty leaves and they scramble to the edge of a leaf to try to fly away -- best method I found is to clap my hands sandwiching the leaf the bug is on.
Look around your garden -- if you have mint-related plants, or clover, they seem to start with those. As described in the linked post, I use the grab and snatch method.
-- ah reviewing our post, they were probably in those weeds.
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applestar
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Like leafminers, the holes in the leaves alert you to their presence, so by removing them, it's easier to tell they have returned next time. Also, significantly chewed up leaves in which the {holes} have overlapped and lost definition seem prone to going soft and rotting in high humidity and probably can act as entry vectors for fungal infection.
That said, the minimally affected leaves are perfectly functional for chlorophyll production. So if the plant is still small, you may not want to remove them.
If they originated in the weed patch and {haven't found} your mints yet, this may be your chance to interrupt their life cycle.
That said, the minimally affected leaves are perfectly functional for chlorophyll production. So if the plant is still small, you may not want to remove them.
If they originated in the weed patch and {haven't found} your mints yet, this may be your chance to interrupt their life cycle.
Last edited by applestar on Thu Jun 13, 2013 10:38 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Restoring crazy autocorrected words to what they SHOULD BE and *really* what I typed in the first place!
Reason: Restoring crazy autocorrected words to what they SHOULD BE and *really* what I typed in the first place!
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applestar
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Just keep an eye out. They are quick and scuttle if you cast a shadow on them, but are striking looking -- most likely yours are same as the ones I have though there are two different color variations: Bright orange belly, florescent lime green and black striped back, about the size of cucumber beetles. (the other kind is yellow and black steiped)
Yesterday, when I was disturbing the trays of yet-to-be-planted basils, peppers, and eggplants, one flew out and incautiously landed on my shoulder, and met the predictable fate -- slap/squish
If not too severe infestation, they really don't cause much more than cosmetic damage. Plants recover fine -- just don't look good and if they have plenty of leaves or are in good growth, the damaged ones can be removed. I unfortunately have been having issues with them since 2010 when I first noticed them. This fall, I'm going to try to recognize their egg deposits with which they overwinter. But I do think I did a pretty good job eliminating the initial wave of nymphs in the main mint and oregano patches.
...Too bad there was a patch of mint by the fence that I didn't realize had been infested.
I need to deal with that area but so far, by the time I remember, I had been pounding tomato stakes in the hot sun or weeding an overgrown, should have been done lat week area, etc. and can't even begin to think about getting back there.
Yesterday, when I was disturbing the trays of yet-to-be-planted basils, peppers, and eggplants, one flew out and incautiously landed on my shoulder, and met the predictable fate -- slap/squish
If not too severe infestation, they really don't cause much more than cosmetic damage. Plants recover fine -- just don't look good and if they have plenty of leaves or are in good growth, the damaged ones can be removed. I unfortunately have been having issues with them since 2010 when I first noticed them. This fall, I'm going to try to recognize their egg deposits with which they overwinter. But I do think I did a pretty good job eliminating the initial wave of nymphs in the main mint and oregano patches.
...Too bad there was a patch of mint by the fence that I didn't realize had been infested.
I need to deal with that area but so far, by the time I remember, I had been pounding tomato stakes in the hot sun or weeding an overgrown, should have been done lat week area, etc. and can't even begin to think about getting back there.
Yeah since we're relatively near each other we probably have the same kind! I will keep an eye out...I haven't noticed anything colorful on anything lately and I do watch my garden like a hawk. My basil is still pretty young. I start it from seed in long planters and there's no holes on those...nothing on any of my 'fragrant" herbs. Just on the 'taters and the 'maters. And just those little ones. Weird! I haven't seen my mantids yet this year. Usually I get a couple big ones. But not til later in the summer.
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rainbowgardener
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