Am I looking at early Tomato Mosaic?

About 9 week old plants and I started noticing this... Are those yellow verigations the beginning of the virus? Help

I'm not an expert on tomato diseases, but to me it looks a bit more like maybe a nutrient issue. Maybe magnesium? Others may have to chime in. How long have they been in your pots? Is it a compost based potting soil? Are you feeding them with anything like fish emulsion? Or any other fertilizers? Sometimes it isn't really a deficiency, but just a balance of nutrients.

The mix they are in it a combination putting soil (which I could see what looked like fish scales) and coconut coir and verimcastings (a granular store bought product). I noticed this the day after we brought them inside after the first day being outside. I had just given everything a first shot of a mix of fish emulsion, molasses and kelp as a liquid fertilizer.

I'm going to stick with my nutrient deficiency or ratio idea. I'm just stubborn. Given that the discoloration looks to be on the old growth and the yellow leaves with green veins, I'm still think magnesium issue. Perhaps having them outside exposed the soil to cooler temperatures and the leaves to brighter sunlight. Both of those can effect magnesium uptake. Here's a cool graphic:


from http://tomatoheadquarters.com/tomatoes-farm/signs-and-solutions-of-nutritional-deficiencies-in-heirloom-tomato-seedlings/

I agree, search google images for Tomato Deficiencies. Looks like the start of -Mg. BUT, it could also be root bound.... or.... or.... or

If these were mine, I'd water thoroughly, (wet roots bend - dry roots break) then gently remove the plant from the cup and check the roots. They should be white and fuzzy. If the roots are circling its time to transplant.

If you do decide its a -Mg, then for a quick fix, I'd suggest an Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate - MgSO4) foliar spray. Double check this but I think its 2 Tablespoons MgSO4 to 1 gallon water. Apply early or late in the day when its cooler out. Fine Mist top AND bottom of the leaves until it almost drips off (trial and error) Once daily for a few days, you should see green color coming back in a week or so. You can also add MgSO4 to the bottom of your transplanting hole. You'll have to research how much to add for your soil conditions.


9 weeks in a Solo cup.... I'm betting they're ready for a bigger home.

I really appreciate all the help. I feel like a dolt not calling on the community sooner. Along this line of nutrient deficiency. We have have very hard water that is also treated with chloramine. I had been adding about 2 teaspoons of ascorbic acid which is buffered with calcium with the intent of complexing the chloramine. Am I unintentionally binding up the magnesium? If I recall from Dr Inghams soil food Web course, fungi are essential in the mobilization of non soluable calcium so if no fungi there is calcium binding up all the magnesium... If there are resources people can point me to for more information about soil chemistry that would be fantastic.

I have zero knowledge or experience with ascorbic acid, but Ca and Mg are positively charged elements, Cations.... (Cat - Ions) Negatively charged are called Anions..... If there is and excess of Ca it will interfere with the Mg uptake, the term I learned is "Antagonistic". So, too much Ca, can appear as a Mg deficiency (-Mg)

But in tomatoes a Ca deficiency leads to blossom end rot.....

Mike McPherson wrote:I really appreciate all the help. I feel like a dolt not calling on the community sooner. Along this line of nutrient deficiency. We have have very hard water that is also treated with chloramine. I had been adding about 2 teaspoons of ascorbic acid which is buffered with calcium with the intent of complexing the chloramine. Am I unintentionally binding up the magnesium? If I recall from Dr Inghams soil food Web course, fungi are essential in the mobilization of non soluable calcium so if no fungi there is calcium binding up all the magnesium... If there are resources people can point me to for more information about soil chemistry that would be fantastic.

A. You're not a dolt. Welcome to gardening. If there weren't challenges like this and people like permies to help out, where would the fun be?

B. Don't overthink nutrient issues at the seedling stage. I think a good rule of thumb is to pot up after 30 days, otherwise provide a gentle and diverse feed such as fish emulsion 1X per week.

C. After you feed or try a corrective measure, look at the new growth. Tomatoes put on growth quickly once roots are going. You'll learn more by looking at the new growth than worrying about the cruddy looking older stuff.

Good luck and keeps us posted!