Newbie needs help

[CW!]

Help! This is my first crop of tomatoes and I'm lost. I've spend days researching tomato problems and diseases, and I guess I'm just not experienced enough to figure out. These are hydroponic tomatoes I have attached a picture, if anyone can provide any guidance - thanks!

leaf1.png

leaf1.png

[Tormahto]

I know next to nothing about plant problems. But, the picture looks to me like the underside of leaves are purple. That may mean a phosphorus deficiency.

[MissS]

It's hard to tell if that purple is due to the light or a condition of the plant. Tormato is right that phosphorus deficiencies due cause purple leaves. I think if you posted in the Hydroponics forum which you can find in the third section of the home page, that you would get some better help for growing in your situation. Another place to post would be in the Diseases, Pests, and Cures forum which is in the second section of the home page. More pics and information would help too. Are those leaves cured? What temperature are you growing at? What fertilizers are you using?

[Shule]

It might be edema caused by a combination of mites and conditions, but it's hard to tell. Do the yellow spots ever raise out like bumps?

Lowering the temperature and/or humidity, and/or increasing ventillation might help.

[Shule]

Or, it might be downy mildew. It's hard to say.

[Nan6b]

Don't be worried if you're mystified. If you look up your symptoms on the internet you'll narrow the problem down to about 20 different things.

[CW!]

I'd like to thank everyone that replied!

I already lowered the temperature and increased ventilation, thanks Shule. I'm also going to do a water replacement.

The "purple" leaves are probably due to the LED lights (they have that purple glow from blue & red LEDs).

I was thinking downy mildew, but it doesn't match some of the symptoms - "The center of the spots eventually turns brown, bordered by yellow margins" - not happening.

I do have 3 varieties of tomatoes in close proximity - St. Pierre, Brandywine, and Tappys. I'm researching disease resistance, because the Tappys show almost no symptoms, while the St. Pierre are the worst.

I'll probably treat for downy mildew as a precaution.

Thanks all!

[AZGardener]

Do the brown spots have circles like rings of a tree? You may have to look closely. If so, and it's got a yellow margin it may be early blight. But, from the photo I don't see any brown spots, just yellow ones.
If there are no circles in the brown spots, then it could be mites causing the yellow spots. You may need to inspect the underside of the leaves with a magnifying glass to see them.

[GoDawgs]

If all else fails, take a sample to your extension agent. They'll need the plant material (not a photo) to look at under the microscope; at least they do here in Georgia.

[CW!]

Great help, thanks. In fact the spots do not have rings, which actually would have made identification easier! I'll also check for mites.

GoDawgs: I googled "extension agent", had never heard the term before. New Mexico (my home) does have this in the university system, unfortunately the closest one is 100 miles away. I might still contact them, though.

[AZGardener]

Great help, thanks. In fact the spots do not have rings, which actually would have made identification easier! I'll also check for mites.

GoDawgs: I googled "extension agent", had never heard the term before. New Mexico (my home) does have this in the university system, unfortunately the closest one is 100 miles away. I might still contact them, though.

Did you search for your county's extension office? You may have one in your county, worth a look.

[CW!]

The extension office advice is some of the best advice I've ever received. This morning, I didn't even know what an extension agent/office was. I googled NM university (I live in New Mexico), took a little while finding it because it's not really part of the education part of the university, but it was there: a county extension office, and one of their specialties is agriculture and farming! They support the whole county I'm in (which is generally rural).

Here's what floors me totally: I contacted them about my tomato crop problems, and they said they would love to help me - AND THEY DO HOUSECALLS. They prefer seeing the farming in progress, not just the plants.

Only downside is the person who does agriculture at their office is out on maternity leave. The person that emailed me said she "was going to get right on it" so see what they could do.

Anyway, thanks for the totally unexpected advice.

[AZGardener]

The extension office advice is some of the best advice I've ever received. This morning, I didn't even know what an extension agent/office was. I googled NM university (I live in New Mexico), took a little while finding it because it's not really part of the education part of the university, but it was there: a county extension office, and one of their specialties is agriculture and farming! They support the whole county I'm in (which is generally rural).

Here's what floors me totally: I contacted them about my tomato crop problems, and they said they would love to help me - AND THEY DO HOUSECALLS. They prefer seeing the farming in progress, not just the plants.

Only downside is the person who does agriculture at their office is out on maternity leave. The person that emailed me said she "was going to get right on it" so see what they could do.

Anyway, thanks for the totally unexpected advice.

Good news! Let us know how it goes.

[MissS]

Gosh NM must have the best Extension Service in the country. I have NEVER heard of them making house calls before.