Please look at these plants and help me understand what happened.

[dvdpfstr]

About a week or two ago some of my plants developed this condition on their new growth where the leaves are incredibly shriveled up and have an almost leathery, tough feeling to them. The perplexing part to me is that the plants that have developed this condition have been treated exactly the same as all my plants and 3/4th's of my plants are fine. I see no signs of aphids anywhere. The plants that have this condition also appear to have ceased growing at all. It's almost like they are in a state of suspended animation. They aren't dying, just not growing. Should I trim the affected growth off to see if they will start growing again and also to see if any new growth returns to normal. Really perplexed and would appreciate some feedback if anyone has experienced this before.

Here's some pictures.

















Thanks for any help!

 

[LanMan]

Looks like a web of some sort in the last picture. Could be spider mites? Whatever it is I would be inclined to trim the bad off. But I do not know much so ....

 

[JDFan]

Are they indoors or outside ? -- Have you or your neighbors done any spraying for weeds etc. ? looks like they might have gotten hit with some type of chemical spray like roundup carried over by the wind.

 

[SuperHot]

I lose a couple every year to this and call it the Black Death. I think it's from too much water/rain. The worst thing you can do is wet the plant down just before sundown. I use a drip tape irrigation system and water them in the middle of the day. I can't do anything about the rain though.

 

[Dr. Cres]

My guess is Broad Mite damage. Look at this comparison: http://www.ipmimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5368119

you will need a miticide spray to control/kill them. The plant should recover. Good luck.

 

[Pepper-Guru]

mites or some serious chem spray....WILD. trim that scary stuff

 

[Prehensile]

Meh it just happens and is totally random, I had that crap happen through 10 different varieties so far and it only hits a few not all. cut them back, most of the time they recover. Bugs could do it though mine showed no signs of bugs even under a magnifying glass, and I have been fighting aphids, thrips, white flies, mites, those damn soil maggots, leaf miners etc. for years! The Dr got me worried I went out and checked again, I wonder if during my Neem oil treatments I killed em without even seeing em?

 

[dvdpfstr]

My guess is Broad Mite damage. Look at this comparison: http://www.ipmimages...?imgnum=5368119

you will need a miticide spray to control/kill them. The plant should recover. Good luck.

That picture looks exactly like my plants. What I have read since your response doesn't sound good if you have broad mites. Do you know of a specific spray that I should use?

 

[Dr. Cres]

That picture looks exactly like my plants. What I have read since your response doesn't sound good if you have broad mites. Do you know of a specific spray that I should use?

Yes, I like the Safer 3 in 1 Here ya go: http://www.organic-gardening-shop.com/agorganics/Product_Details.aspx?ProductID=105

you should be able to get a miticide at most garden supply stores. Good Luck.

 

[dvdpfstr]

Yes, I like the Safer 3 in 1 Here ya go: http://www.organic-g...x?ProductID=105

you should be able to get a miticide at most garden supply stores. Good Luck.

I appreciate the input. Would you trim the damaged growth off of the plant?

 

[Dr. Cres]

I appreciate the input. Would you trim the damaged growth off of the plant?

No, not necessarily. What I suggest you do is isolate the plant/s immediately. Your going to need someone else to help you unfurl the leaves so that you can spray them thoroughly on both sides. Mites like to hide and cling to the undersides of the leaves. I would also recommend certain sanitation measures such as changing your pots and potting soil. Also when you do decontaminate your plants go outside away from your healthy plants in order not to contaminate them. Make sure you wash and clean your hands thoroughly. Mites can be a real pain in the az. If you can't locate the Safer 3 in 1 use a product that has Neem in it. Both have worked out for me in the past. If there is anything else I can do just PM me or post. Good Luck.

 

[gasificada]

Bugs could do it though mine showed no signs of bugs even under a magnifying glass

Broad mite can be easily missed. They are VERY tiny!

Compared to white fly:

Their saliva is also extremely toxic to plants so even a very small number of the buggers can still cause significant damage.

It looks like broad mite damage to me too but it could also be chem / herbacide damage. If you haven't been using any chems / herbacides, I would start treating for mite immediately.

Would you trim the damaged growth off of the plant?

Personally, I *would*. Broad mite toxin can remain in the plant for some time and can seriously "stunt" growth. Better to get rid of as much of the toxin as you can--especially before too much spreads. (Experience. )

 

[dvdpfstr]

Broad mite can be easily missed. They are VERY tiny!

Compared to white fly:

Their saliva is also extremely toxic to plants so even a very small number of the buggers can still cause significant damage.

It looks like broad mite damage to me too but it could also be chem / herbacide damage. If you haven't been using any chems / herbacides, I would start treating for mite immediately.





Personally, I *would*. Broad mite toxin can remain in the plant for some time and can seriously "stunt" growth. Better to get rid of as much of the toxin as you can--especially before too much spreads. (Experience. )

Thanks for the response. I haven't used any chemicals or herbicides and after what I have been reading about mites I am now 99% sure that is what I have going on. I'm glad Dr. Cres responded with the link to a picture because I have googled more pictures and they all look exactly like what my plants look like. Gonna have to get a plan to attack them and ASAP!

 

[gasificada]

Hope it all works out and you smash 'em good--never to have to see them again!

 

[SuperHot]

Meh it just happens and is totally random, I had that crap happen through 10 different varieties so far and it only hits a few not all. cut them back, most of the time they recover. Bugs could do it though mine showed no signs of bugs even under a magnifying glass, and I have been fighting aphids, thrips, white flies, mites, those damn soil maggots, leaf miners etc. for years! The Dr got me worried I went out and checked again, I wonder if during my Neem oil treatments I killed em without even seeing em?

+1

This has been my experience. I grew 500 supers last year and probable lost 4 or 5 that way. There were never any signs of insects on any of those plants. I would cut them back and in most cases it would eventually come back. You need to isolate them because I believe it will spread to the other plants.

 

[Prehensile]

Broad mite can be easily missed. They are VERY tiny!

Compared to white fly:

Their saliva is also extremely toxic to plants so even a very small number of the buggers can still cause significant damage.

It looks like broad mite damage to me too but it could also be chem / herbacide damage. If you haven't been using any chems / herbacides, I would start treating for mite immediately.



Personally, I *would*. Broad mite toxin can remain in the plant for some time and can seriously "stunt" growth. Better to get rid of as much of the toxin as you can--especially before too much spreads. (Experience. )

Thanks for the info, I would be willing to bet since white flies are such a pain here in FL requiring (neem/pepperjuice/soap spray) treatment as often as every 5 days, I probably never noticed em(though I have damage that looks like em) I'm gonna use my 32X on em, and if that doesn't show em I'll get out the 50x - 1200x.

 

[gasificada]

Thanks for the info, I would be willing to bet since white flies are such a pain here in FL requiring (neem/pepperjuice/soap spray) treatment as often as every 5 days, I probably never noticed em(though I have damage that looks like em) I'm gonna use my 32X on em, and if that doesn't show em I'll get out the 50x - 1200x.

Yeah, not saying definitively that broad mite are what have been causing you grief, but from what you have said, it does sound plausible to me (based on my own experiences).

Firstly, as it sounds like you are already aware, white fly are a major vector of broad mite--the little mite bastages love nothing better than to hitch a ride on 'em--and it sounds like your plants are no stranger to white fly attack.

And secondly, from what I myself have personally observed, it really does appear that broad mite *do* favour certain plants (and I do mean plants; not genotype/variety or species). Usually they start out on what appears to be a few random plants here and there but eventually spread as their numbers increase. When I have been successful in keeping them under some control, re-infestation pretty much always occurs first on the initial plants they started attacking!

Under a magnifying glass, broad mite should at least look like tiny spots of white dust if that is of any help. If you cannot see even that, you are probably correct in the assumption that the said treatments against white fly have also knocked out the mites. Well, of course, that's assuming too that broad mite are indeed the culprits.....

 

[Proud Marine Dad]

Mites are a PITA!
Anyone here grow Fuchsias?
Ever have Gall Mites? They only attack Fuchsias here. Leafs start looking like cancer or something all shriveled.
The best remedy was to destroy the plant but here it may be different. I think peppers are a lot hardier.

Do you have a 40x or larger hand microscope?

Some of us use them to tell when plants are ready to harvest but they are great for looking for mites, etc. as well.

 

[gasificada]

Mites are a PITA!

Understatement of the century.

The best remedy was to destroy the plant but here it may be different. I think peppers are a lot hardier.

I think so too but a bad broad mite infestation will still give pepper plants a run for their money. Even if not literal death (although I have had plants die from severe attack), broad mite can absolutely stunt the hell outta your plants to the point where they may as well be dead.

 

[dvdpfstr]

I have done a lot of research on broad mites since posting this thread and from what I am reading the potential outcome doesn't sound good. Almost everything I have read suggests alternating between Avid and Forbid insecticides other wise you are wasting your time. The downside to those options are that they are both expensive as hell and appear to be fairly toxic pesticides.

Meanwhile, my plants are getting worse and appear to be spreading to my other plants. I have never had this problem before with previous gardens and it appears that my tomato plants are now being attacked also.

Without a doubt, pretty discouraged at this point.