Mites?????
I have had trouble with three of my tomato plants this year - all next to eachother. They started showing signs of deteriorating a few weeks ago with small holes in the leaves and shriveling browning leaves - they almost looked dirty. Growth slowed to varying degrees. Someone on this forum suggested mites but I could find any. Today when I looked I could see lots of little bugs on the bottom of the leaves. They were small but easy to see with the naked eye. Some were greenish and small, some were whitish or brownish and bigger. Could these be mites? Reading online it sounds like mites are much smaller? I'm just trying to figure out best treatment. They are three plants I really don't want to lose. I have pruned aggressively but need to figure out next steps. Thx for any help you all may have.
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applestar
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Just guessing from color description, they sound like aphids. But they would not be related to/responsible for the holes, browning, or shriveling.
As the most basic treatment, just squish them or pick them off with your fingers. Any time you find a bug that you are pretty sure is eating/damaging your plant, pick off/squish, retain sample or take pictures, get a definitive ID.
As the most basic treatment, just squish them or pick them off with your fingers. Any time you find a bug that you are pretty sure is eating/damaging your plant, pick off/squish, retain sample or take pictures, get a definitive ID.
....this has been the worst year I have ever had for aphids. Been battling them everywhere, plum trees, tomatoes, rhubarb. Places/plants that have never been bothered before. Hand picking them, water spray and Safer's soap has helpedThe holes in the leaves could be flea beetles.
I usually do get spider mites at this time of the year. They are not easy to see, but the underside of the leaf will show bronzing and upper surface of the leaf will look like something has been scratching it. The webbing comes later. The spider mites show up in hot dusty weather. There are natural controls that will be killed by sprays. Hosing off the foliage with water dislodges them.
Healthy plants are poor targets for pests and disease. Keep plants well watered and fed. Hose dust of leaves and spray jets of water under leaves to dislodge pests.
Plant a diversified landscape and plants that provide nectar and attract beneficial insects like ladybugs, hover flies and parasitic wasps. Plants in the parsley family, dill, fennel, parsley, caraway with umbrel flowers. Disc flowers like sunflowers, marigolds, zinnia, calendula, cosmos and others also attract beneficial insects. Plants like sweet alyssum, false heather, etc provide nectar. A shallow dish of water filled with pebbles provide water. Pesticides will kill beneficial insects so you will need to give the beneficial insects a chance to control pests and avoid spraying. Some damage needs to tolerated.
https://www.tomatodirt.com/tomato-pests.html
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7405.html
I usually do get spider mites at this time of the year. They are not easy to see, but the underside of the leaf will show bronzing and upper surface of the leaf will look like something has been scratching it. The webbing comes later. The spider mites show up in hot dusty weather. There are natural controls that will be killed by sprays. Hosing off the foliage with water dislodges them.
Healthy plants are poor targets for pests and disease. Keep plants well watered and fed. Hose dust of leaves and spray jets of water under leaves to dislodge pests.
Plant a diversified landscape and plants that provide nectar and attract beneficial insects like ladybugs, hover flies and parasitic wasps. Plants in the parsley family, dill, fennel, parsley, caraway with umbrel flowers. Disc flowers like sunflowers, marigolds, zinnia, calendula, cosmos and others also attract beneficial insects. Plants like sweet alyssum, false heather, etc provide nectar. A shallow dish of water filled with pebbles provide water. Pesticides will kill beneficial insects so you will need to give the beneficial insects a chance to control pests and avoid spraying. Some damage needs to tolerated.
https://www.tomatodirt.com/tomato-pests.html
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7405.html
