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nichka_gw

Rust spots on everything! HELP

15 years ago

It looks horrible. I am a young gardener and don't familiar with this type of problem. Can it be some disease, sun burn or water problem? Can I do something to help to stop that? It's on everything - tomatoes, herbs, cukes, flowers... I didn't use any fertilizer or chemicals to spray. My neighbor doesn't have this problem, so I assume it is not a bad rain. Here is how it looks.

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Thank you!

Comments (19)

  • 15 years ago

    The stippling -- small areas of missing green color -- resembles feeding damage from leafhoppers.

    So, do you have any small (less than 1/4 inch)) narrow critters that either move sideways when you disturb them, or jump?

  • 15 years ago

    I don't think so that it is damage by insects you mentioned. The stains are not "areas", all leaflets are like that. It's like "pattern" on them.

  • 15 years ago

    Looks like you maybe misted them when it was really hot and they got burned.

  • 15 years ago

    That bit about misting, although widely believed, is wrong.

  • 15 years ago

    Well, it is a bit strange that a disease or insect would affect so many different kinds of plants.

    Beyond that, what I see as white spots -- or light green spots -- aren't exactly the same on all plants.

    For instance, in the marigold pix it looks as if only the exposed places on the leaves are affected.

    I don't see anything I would call rust. The color in rust diseases varies according to the kind -- brown, orange, or dark purple and even black.

    And I don't see anything I would call a stain.

    Perhaps the problems isn't due to a disease or critters. So, what sort of things have happened at your place? Hail. Painting? Harsh rain? No fertilizer? Or what?

  • 15 years ago

    Thank you guys for all your guesses. As I said earlier, I don't think so it's critters damage, because the spots on every inch of other plants (carrots, pumpkin leaves, beets) including even herbs - cilantro, dill. The only vegetable that is left untouched by this trouble is kale, which is really crazy growing this year (almost a yard!)
    Regarding the problems jean001 mentioned in a last post I will say yes to "no fertilizer" and MAYBE "harsh rain" which I don't know for sure, because as I mentioned neighbors plants are fine.
    Any more guesses?..

    P.S. What brand or kind of commercial fertilizer you can recommend for the vegetables that still can be called "organic"? ( I don't have opportunity to produce my own compost as for now). Thank you!

  • 15 years ago

    i can give you name of an extremely good organic fertilizer--e-mail me

  • 15 years ago

    Nichka,

    Is your neighbor growing the SAME kind of plants and not having the problem? The air pollution that we have in the summer, ground level ozone, causes symptoms like what you have pictured. Some plants are more susceptible than others.

    K.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ozone Damage to Plants

  • 15 years ago

    I just came back again from my garden and noticed those leafhoppers, they are everywhere!!! And kale is now invaded by white little flies that leave or lay some kind of white spots or aphids (See pictures).
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    Please, help if someone encountered with this trouble! Help me with organic solution.

  • 15 years ago

    Yes, the kale has whiteflies.

    If only a few, daily search and destroy missions work. Or you could use direct hits of insecticidal soap -- read the label closely and follow directions for edibles (food plants).

    The label may also include leafhoppers. Again, it's direct hits that do the job.

  • 15 years ago

    I don't believe the thing about misting in hot sun causing leaf damage is a myth, as I have done it myself without meaning to. Right now I have a rose plant that I damaged that way. Temps here were 93-95F and I was trying to cool my plants down and got some water on the leaves. They are burned exactly where I sprayed them.

    However, I believe the OP's garden has more serious problems.

  • 15 years ago

    The stippling of the leaves looks to me like spider mite damage which is brought on by spells of dry weather. Do a Google image search of "spider mite damage" to compare. Spraying with water or misting frequently, not in the hottest part of the day, are the first thing I'd try, then insecticidal soap spray.

  • 15 years ago

    cranky, it's not possible for a water droplet to burn foliage. It's simple physics, really. The shape of the droplet resting on foliage diffuses light, rather than focuses it. However, if your water has salts in it, the residue could cause burning.

    Farmers, nurseries, greenhouse growers, sod farmers, home garderers, and many others practice mid-day watering with no damage. So does Mother Nature, who in her wisdom would probably not have arranged for something so 'harmful' to occur on a routine basis all over the world.

    As far as the stippling goes, it could very well be a combination of leaf hopper (which is probably the primary pest) and spider mites. Those whiteflies are thrown in for good measure, lol!

  • 15 years ago

    Spider mite stippling is very fine. The photos show coarse stippling as is done by leafhoppers.

  • 15 years ago

    Yesterday and this morning I sprayed with home made insect. soap with paprika pepper and eucalyptus essential oil. Will see how they like it. White flies, I noticed, started to die. But the leafhoppers seems just a bit disturbed. Maybe I need a commercial spray?..

  • 15 years ago

    nichka- I think there is a good chance your plants have downy mildew. It can take slightly different forms on different plants.

    tj

    Here is a link that might be useful: Downy Mildew Pix

  • 15 years ago

    Not downy mildew. In no way do the markings match that disease.

  • 15 years ago

    nichka My indoor cukes have those same white spots. They sit under a grow light with a hood. Because a few of the leaves seem to have condensation on them in the morning, I started leaving the hood off for several hours in the morning.

    Did you ever figure out what those white spots were on your plants and how to cure it? I'm trying the 1:9 milk/water solution for now. If it's downy, I don't want to use copper and possibly poisen the container.

    Anyone???

  • 15 years ago

    nichka,
    If you are noticing an infestation of leaf hoppers and whiteflies, then there's a pretty good chance that's your problem. If you don't want to lose your crop, I would spray with Rotonone, Pyretheum, or a Rotonone/Pyretheum mix - found the organic section of all good garden centers. You may get feedback from some of the "scientists" telling you that the Rotonone will harm pond life, but unless you are planning on getting a large quantity of it into a small pond, disregard it. Both of these organic controls have been used safely for many, many years.
    If one spraying does not do the trick, I would get a soil test and check the micro-nutrients. It could also be a mineral issue since it affected so many varieties of plants. Good luck!

    Ron
    "The Garden Guy"
    http://www.TheGardenGuy.org
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