Why tomato leaves can turn white
Tomatoes are quite sturdy and strong plants, it is not difficult to care for them. But there are times that people who have little experience in growing tomatoes often have situations when the leaves of your tomatoes have turned white. Why do tomato leaves turn white?
Causes of whitening of leaves in tomatoes
Not everyone knows why the leaves of tomatoes turn white and what signs affect it. Especially if you care properly, water and fertilize. Today, experts see a number of reasons that can affect this.
Sunburn
Quite often, this problem occurs in young bushes. If you notice that your plant is whiter only from above, this may mean the fact that, most likely, this was due to severe sunburn. This occurs if:
- new seedlings, which are not ready for the sun, were immediately exposed to the open sky;
- when you transplanted plants directly from the pot into the ground.
Prevention of ailment
The most important rule is that from a very early age, seedlings must be taught to direct sunlight. The easiest way to solve this problem is to simply put the seedlings on the window. If, for some reason, it is not possible to do this, then there is another option. Its main meaning is Consistency. A week before direct planting in the ground, take the seedlings outside in the sun for several hours, but do this during a period of mild sun activity.
After you have planted the tomatoes in the ground, you also need to protect them, so it would be nice if you covered them with lutrasil. If the tomatoes are in the garden, then put the arches and cover.
The ideal option would be to use greenhouses. Tomatoes there will feel safe and develop well. It is best to keep all greenhouses closed for a while, and open them when it is necessary to water or ventilate. When it gets warmer, you can ventilate for a longer time.
Control methods
Unfortunately, it will no longer be possible to return the former look to the bushes, but there is an opportunity to try to save them. After the sun is completely hidden, treat all yellow leaves with Epin. A similar drug will help tomatoes cope with the stress they have passed.
A similar procedure must be carried out 3 times, once a week, on the same day. Also, you should understand that the affected plant will take a long time to recover and grow.
Brown spot
Not everyone, even professional gardeners, can say with confidence why the leaves of tomato seedlings turn white. There can be many reasons for this, and one of them is brown spotting. Most often, tomatoes that grow in greenhouses suffer from this phenomenon. Symptoms of the disease:
- the lowest part of the leaf will always have a small area that will be covered with white bloom;
- then a similar plaque changes its color, and becomes brown with a slight shade of brown;
- on the top of each leaf there will be yellow spots that look like stains;
- if the disease is at its last stage, then the leaves of the bush begin to curl and then dry out.
How to fight
For preventive purposes, regularly ventilate the greenhouse.
The main reason why such a disease attacks the bush is the high percentage of moisture in the room and the temperature. As a preventive measure, constant and good ventilation can be used.
If you only notice similar signs on the bush, then you must immediately process it with Bordeaux mixture. This procedure must be done 4-5 times with an interval of 10 days.
White rot
This type of ailment is referred to as fungal diseases that affect the stems and fruits of the bush. This also applies to plants in open areas and in greenhouses. Disease symptoms:
- the tissues of the whole plant have a slightly slimy and soft consistency;
- in addition, white neoplasms can be seen on the horse neck, stems and at the main base, very similar to a fungus;
- as a result, the fruits of the tomatoes will gradually dry out and then they will die.
If the humidity in the room is too low, but the temperature is high, then such an ailment can destroy the plant in about 4 -5 days, and you cannot do anything about it.
Methods of dealing with the disease
The main rule is to create completely acceptable and comfortable conditions for keeping plants. Also, if you immediately notice infected areas or particles on the bush, you must remove them immediately so that they do not infect all the tomatoes that are next to them.
All leaves and branches that you cut off must be treated with crushed chalk, clean coal, and also add potassium permanganate or copper sulfate. In addition, spraying with Bordeaux fluid is an excellent preventive measure.
Powdery mildew
The disease is caused by a pathogen such as a marsupial mushroom. The disease looks as if someone has whitened the leaves on the bush in pieces or inadvertently spilled paint on the plant. Signs of the disease:
- most often white spots with a gray tint are found on the lower part of the leaves;
- sometimes there may be yellow spots on the top of the leaf;
- as a result, the leaves from the inside burn out, and then dry out completely, sometimes there may be plaque and dots.
This disease is often found in bushes that are in open soil or a greenhouse. The reason for this is the sudden changes in humidity and temperature. It is quite difficult to fight such a disease, the infection quickly spreads through the root system. If too much rain has passed, and then it has suddenly become warmer, then it is immediately necessary to process the tomatoes - any specialized preparation such as Tsineba will do.
Treatment of the disease
As soon as you find the first signs of the disease, you immediately need to remove all areas and get rid of them. After that, all tomatoes must be treated with medicines such as: Gaupsina, Trichodermina, Tsineba. Choose one of them and process 1 time. If the disease manifests itself again, repeat the whole process again.
When planting, always treat the plant as you can expect, it is best to immediately carry out prevention. Carry out the exact same mechanism when planting, and especially when transplanting tomatoes.
To be able to fight tomato diseases, the very first thing you must do is understand what exactly you are dealing with, because many diseases can cause spots and white dots on tomato leaves. White bloom on plant leaves is always a negative sign that you need to fight.