Becks, curling of the top leaves of toms is common, often caused by over-watering and/or too much fertiliser.
The peppers. It's hard to tell even after magnifying the photo, but the white spots don't look like scorching on the leaves. Are the spots powdery and on the leaf surface? Or are the spots sunken?
Do the toms - and the peppers for that matter - live indoors or outdoors? The toms have a leaf mould problem. It's a very good housekeeping idea to take off the lower branches to maintain at least a foot of clear air/space between the lowest branch and the soil.
The second last photo is a good example. The two lowest branches shouldn't be there. The second lowest branch - pointing towards the camera - is the diseased one and you can also see early signs of disease on the lowest one pointing away from the camera. Fungal spores will drop from the leaves to the soil. Maintaining at least a foot between the lowest branch and the soil helps against the spores splashing back up onto the leaves when watering.
In the meantime, all you can do is remove the affected foliage - including the branches that shouldn't even have been there! - and look for as much air circulation as possible.
Well, you haven't mentioned the 'B' word, so that's a relief! They are all outside permanantly now, but I move them round to get the sun when it's out. But always keep them close together. Do I just pull/tear those branches below off, or should I do a clean cut with my secataurs?
The pepper leave spots aren't powdery, but are a little sunken. When you lift the lift, they are a little translucent. You can just see them on the other side. But it's only that one plant. The other 5-6 haven't got it.
I'll spread them all out a bit, as in the evening, I move them next to a wall by the house, all bunched together on a table. They've only been outside a couple of weeks.They were all sowed later than usual from seed.
Glad the curling leaves are ok though. I only ever fed them once, with a tomato feed, and it wasn't a lot. Maybe 30ml's at the most. They haven't flowered yet as they were late starters, so haven't bothered with the feed, as advised on the forums.
Always use secateurs or scissors to remove branches or even just foliage. Make a nice clean cut. Removing by hand can tear plant tissue.
When you say the "B" word, you mean Blight? As I've posted here before, "Blight" has become a generic term for fungal disease. There are only two real Blights - Early and Late. You have neither, the symptoms don't fit yours. But it's clearly some sort of fungal disease. I'd keep as much space between at all times - including nighttime - to aid air circulation.
I thought the pepper spots might be early symptoms of something like Powdery Mildew but they're obviously not. PM spots are powdery on the leaf surface. Do they in any way resemble the spots visible on the less-affected lowest branch (pointing away from the camera) in the second last photo?
It's definitely necrotic tissue. Is it my grubby monitor or are there some brown crusty bits developing within the margins of some of the larger spots?
I don't think it's your monitor. Might be my camera. Only a cheap and cheerful thing. I've just had a look, and there are no crusty bits. When you rub a spot it's totally smooth all over. I did see a tiny little mite on a leaf though. About the size of a spider mite, but yellowy orange.
An update. Since my comments on 16/7/12, I have removed all of the badly affected leaves, leaving only the top healthier section. This seems to have stabilised the remaining leaves on all the plants (they are no worse). However there is no obvious new growth or sets.
I replaced a greenhouse tomato plant (the one with the dry set) with an outdoor tomato plant yesterday. I will keep you informed as to how they get on.
It has been suggested that temperatures for greenhouse tomatoes should not exceed 25 degrees centigrade. Yesterday, with the door and all of the vents wide open, new painted shading, and the greenhouse floor well damped down, it got above 49 degrees centigrade. Without installing insulation and air con, I'm unlikely to keep under 25 degrees. Any ideas?
My conservatory tomato plant started getting white spots over the lower leaves, but they were actual spots, not the blotches on Becks peppers. I cut off the affected leaves straight away and the problem seems to have stopped.
Something I have noticed with the very recent blaze of sunshine is that anything in pots, especially in a greenhouse or conservatory, start to wilt very quickly. The smaller the pot, the quicker they dry out. Large to very large pots are far less prone. Thus far I have managed to rescue several plants (giving them extra water) before they went past the point of no return. Be vigilant, but don't over water, and keep them away from a window. They will scorch if they are too close.
With the lack of bright light and sunshine we've had this year until now, I'm afraid all our plants (even the outdoor ones) may be very soft and susceptible to scorch - shading in this sunshine will be important!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I don't think it's your monitor. Might be my camera. Only a cheap and cheerful thing. I've just had a look, and there are no crusty bits. When you rub a spot it's totally smooth all over. I did see a tiny little mite on a leaf though. About the size of a spider mite, but yellowy orange.
Possibly a Red Spider Mite, they're pretty much an orange colour and they love peppers. Here are a couple:
I've been wondering about insect damage because the spots don't look particularly fungal or bacterial. Have a look on the undersides of the leaves. It's usually where they hang out.
Gard, toms will tolerate a lot higher than 25C, even in a greenhouse, but the sort of temp you're citing would be a problem. Outdoors it would be less of a problem - mine sit in a baking 40+C all day - but a greenhouse, even ventilated, can become effectively an oven. How likely is that your high-40sC will continue? You might need to look at erecting some shade cloth to keep the temp down.
Your watering routine is right. Requirements will vary with temperatures, etc. Water as and when required, not by rote.
Posts
Becks, curling of the top leaves of toms is common, often caused by over-watering and/or too much fertiliser.
The peppers. It's hard to tell even after magnifying the photo, but the white spots don't look like scorching on the leaves. Are the spots powdery and on the leaf surface? Or are the spots sunken?
Do the toms - and the peppers for that matter - live indoors or outdoors? The toms have a leaf mould problem. It's a very good housekeeping idea to take off the lower branches to maintain at least a foot of clear air/space between the lowest branch and the soil.
The second last photo is a good example. The two lowest branches shouldn't be there. The second lowest branch - pointing towards the camera - is the diseased one and you can also see early signs of disease on the lowest one pointing away from the camera. Fungal spores will drop from the leaves to the soil. Maintaining at least a foot between the lowest branch and the soil helps against the spores splashing back up onto the leaves when watering.
In the meantime, all you can do is remove the affected foliage - including the branches that shouldn't even have been there!
- and look for as much air circulation as possible.
Hi Italophile,
Well, you haven't mentioned the 'B' word, so that's a relief! They are all outside permanantly now, but I move them round to get the sun when it's out. But always keep them close together. Do I just pull/tear those branches below off, or should I do a clean cut with my secataurs?
The pepper leave spots aren't powdery, but are a little sunken. When you lift the lift, they are a little translucent. You can just see them on the other side. But it's only that one plant. The other 5-6 haven't got it.
I'll spread them all out a bit, as in the evening, I move them next to a wall by the house, all bunched together on a table. They've only been outside a couple of weeks.They were all sowed later than usual from seed.
Glad the curling leaves are ok though. I only ever fed them once, with a tomato feed, and it wasn't a lot. Maybe 30ml's at the most. They haven't flowered yet as they were late starters, so haven't bothered with the feed, as advised on the forums.
Thanks!
Always use secateurs or scissors to remove branches or even just foliage. Make a nice clean cut. Removing by hand can tear plant tissue.
When you say the "B" word, you mean Blight? As I've posted here before, "Blight" has become a generic term for fungal disease. There are only two real Blights - Early and Late. You have neither, the symptoms don't fit yours. But it's clearly some sort of fungal disease. I'd keep as much space between at all times - including nighttime - to aid air circulation.
I thought the pepper spots might be early symptoms of something like Powdery Mildew but they're obviously not. PM spots are powdery on the leaf surface. Do they in any way resemble the spots visible on the less-affected lowest branch (pointing away from the camera) in the second last photo?
Just took some pics of the affected leaves for you of the pepper plant.
Hope these help. yes, I did mean Blight. I saw the brown on the tomato leaves, that's what made me think that.
It's definitely necrotic tissue. Is it my grubby monitor or are there some brown crusty bits developing within the margins of some of the larger spots?
I don't think it's your monitor. Might be my camera. Only a cheap and cheerful thing. I've just had a look, and there are no crusty bits. When you rub a spot it's totally smooth all over. I did see a tiny little mite on a leaf though. About the size of a spider mite, but yellowy orange.
I replaced a greenhouse tomato plant (the one with the dry set) with an outdoor tomato plant yesterday. I will keep you informed as to how they get on.
It has been suggested that temperatures for greenhouse tomatoes should not exceed 25 degrees centigrade. Yesterday, with the door and all of the vents wide open, new painted shading, and the greenhouse floor well damped down, it got above 49 degrees centigrade. Without installing insulation and air con, I'm unlikely to keep under 25 degrees. Any ideas?
My conservatory tomato plant started getting white spots over the lower leaves, but they were actual spots, not the blotches on Becks peppers. I cut off the affected leaves straight away and the problem seems to have stopped.
Something I have noticed with the very recent blaze of sunshine is that anything in pots, especially in a greenhouse or conservatory, start to wilt very quickly. The smaller the pot, the quicker they dry out. Large to very large pots are far less prone. Thus far I have managed to rescue several plants (giving them extra water) before they went past the point of no return. Be vigilant, but don't over water, and keep them away from a window. They will scorch if they are too close.
With the lack of bright light and sunshine we've had this year until now, I'm afraid all our plants (even the outdoor ones) may be very soft and susceptible to scorch - shading in this sunshine will be important!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Possibly a Red Spider Mite, they're pretty much an orange colour and they love peppers. Here are a couple:
I've been wondering about insect damage because the spots don't look particularly fungal or bacterial. Have a look on the undersides of the leaves. It's usually where they hang out.
Gard, toms will tolerate a lot higher than 25C, even in a greenhouse, but the sort of temp you're citing would be a problem. Outdoors it would be less of a problem - mine sit in a baking 40+C all day - but a greenhouse, even ventilated, can become effectively an oven. How likely is that your high-40sC will continue? You might need to look at erecting some shade cloth to keep the temp down.
Your watering routine is right. Requirements will vary with temperatures, etc. Water as and when required, not by rote.