Help with tomato seedlings - leaves are white and dry!

[snoogans888]

Hi

I'm a complete newbie to this site and to gardening!

I grew my seedlings from seed indoors on a sunny windowsill. My tomato seedlings are now about 7 weeks old and I have planted most of them outdoors in a raised bed. I acclimatised them for 1 week, but it was quite windy at the time.

I'm wondering if the leaves have turned dry and papery and gone white because of the wind and too much sun? Are they wind/sun burnt?

Do you think I have anything to worry about as the majority of leaves are healthy and green?

Should I just pick off the affected leaves?

Here are the photos are my affected leaves:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

I would really appreciate any advice as I can't find the answer in any book or online!

Many thanks

Mandy x

[Shetty]

Hi Mandy,
The second pic whith the discoloured edges certainly looks like wind burn or even some overnight frost.
But the first picture with the small white patches in the middle of the leaf look different. Are there any creepy crawlies under the leaves or small flies around, which might eat your plant.
I would cut of the wind burnt leaves, because they are weakend and it is easier for some funghi or pests to attck the plants.

Shetty

[snoogans888]

Hi Shetty

Thanks for your reply. I can't see any bugs or flies anywhere, so maybe they ate and ran!

I will cut off the wind burnt leaves as you suggested.

Mandy

[DavidT]

Mandy, there is nothing to worry about. Your plants are just showing signs of mild scorch damage.

[snoogans888]

Hi David

Many thanks for your words of reassurance, they really mean a lot to a novice like me!

Mandy

[DavidT]

To be technical, they have a physiological disease.

[snoogans888]

I just wanted to say that my tomatoes are doing really well and have started flowering! So I did have nothing to worry about!

[DavidT]

Now they have started flowering you should start feeding.

[snoogans888]

Yes I have been giving them tomato feed every week, so fingers crossed I'll have lots of lovely tomatoes!