Heirloom tomato - early problem? - Ask Extension
I transplanted this starter plant on Sunday. As of Wednesday, I'm seeing decline in overall appearance, which I know CAN be normal from transplant sho...
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Heirloom tomato - early problem? #869683
Asked May 22, 2024, 7:47 PM EDT
I transplanted this starter plant on Sunday. As of Wednesday, I'm seeing decline in overall appearance, which I know CAN be normal from transplant shock, but I'm confused.... I could understand maybe some splotchiness due to sun scorch/ dehydration, but the white specks --- is that possibly insect eggs,
or just pollen/"dust"? The attached pics were taken under an inexpensive microscope. I'm a MG intern who would love eventually to solve questions like this for home gardeners, so I'd appreciate any insights/answers/diagnostic approaches you can provide.
Thank you! Jonie
Carroll County Maryland
Expert Response
Hello Jonie,
The pale pellet-like residues in the magnified images are not insect eggs, but do look like either accumulated pollen (pollen counts have been high of late) or other non-living debris. The bleached spots in the leaf tissue itself are hard to diagnose, but don't look like stippling from pest feeding, or the early stages of a leaf spot, so are likely just due to mild environmental stress as they acclimate. If you haven't already, to help with root production and supporting the young plant's nutrient demands as it establishes, you can apply a complete (contains both N, P, and K) fertilizer, using the dosage recommended on the package. A liquid fertilizer will be more rapidly absorbed than a granular (dry-applied) type.
Miri
The pale pellet-like residues in the magnified images are not insect eggs, but do look like either accumulated pollen (pollen counts have been high of late) or other non-living debris. The bleached spots in the leaf tissue itself are hard to diagnose, but don't look like stippling from pest feeding, or the early stages of a leaf spot, so are likely just due to mild environmental stress as they acclimate. If you haven't already, to help with root production and supporting the young plant's nutrient demands as it establishes, you can apply a complete (contains both N, P, and K) fertilizer, using the dosage recommended on the package. A liquid fertilizer will be more rapidly absorbed than a granular (dry-applied) type.
Miri
