Tomatoes-black Specks-holes in leaves??

[phoebeisis]

I live in a suburb of New Orleans.
This year-the last 2 months-my plants have black specs-leaves stems fruit on them.
The black specs brush right off-initially- but then seems to adhere to the leaves
The leaves also develope holes-as if they had been shot gunned.
The plants don't die-still producing decent fruit- but some plants have become so ratty that I pull them up.20 or so plants-producing last 4 weeks-good production-4 different types-cherry big cherry regular tomatoes(forget which)
and Roma all piled together

What are the black specs-they are also on the salvia-and even on blades of grass.Fungus??
Very humid in NOLA- plenty of dew every morning-no I don't spray water the plants-just let a hose fill the rows-not watering leaves.
Yes this year I use Seven-liguid-yes not great for bees(all I can afford)
Yes my plants are waaaay too close together.
Heck. they look like tiny animal droppings-but aren't.
What are they?

How do I get rid of them?

Thanks
Charlie

[herm]

sounds like aphids, try spraying with a soapy solution.. its non-toxic and cheap.. important that you spray underneath the leaves, where aphids park during the heat of the day. You should be able to see them if you have them.

You can also spike it up with a tobacco extract in the soap mix.. you can use cigarette butts out of the trash to make the extract.

Never seen black spots on the grass!

[msirach]

Yes, it sounds like aphids. Seven dust or liquid will take care of them too.

[phoebeisis]

Thanks all.
Oh Specks and holes!!
Got a suggestion that it might be a bacterial infection-Pseudomonas something or other??
I use Seven for all the bugs-works great-but doesn't work on the strange black Specks
Charlie

[basjoos]

Sounds like flea beetles, named for their flea-like size and ability to jump. They make the tiny holes in the leaves and the beetles themselves look like small black specks. Flea beetles also like the leaves of potato and eggplant.

[herm]

I think you should nuke the garden from orbit, its the only way to be sure..

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...ure/M1210.html

[herm]

Did you find out what it was?

I'm having fungus problems with my two mango trees, and the fruit is already set.

[phoebeisis]

I used the copper solution-copper ammonia complex??
Beautiful blue color and fairly harmless to humans and most animals(including insects unless it is sprayed on them).

It worked great -far fewer of the black specks!!
They were absolutely everywhere on the plants.
It is supposed to croak fungi also-so I would give it a try on the mango.
Got it at Home Depot- $8 for a pint- in general it is diluted 128/1 128 pints= 16 gallons for $8. I managed to spray 20 tomato plants and maybe 200 sq ft of salvia with just a quart or so of mix-
Charlie
Oh- it-the mix- degrades after a few days in a semi opaque bottle-turned a really muddy color

[herm]

Copper is an antifungal agent, but it will kill my bromeliads

It sounds like it was aphids after all, their sweet secretions grow a black fungus, the black spots you saw.. roses get them all the time. I doubt it will kill the aphids or the ants that herd the aphids.