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leekle2mane

Dearest Tomato Gurus

The following images show a degree of yellowing that is beyond what my mother finds appropriate in her tomato plants. I told her I would pass on these images to those who are much more knowledgeable in the ways of tomatoes than myself.

She says she waters them every afternoon when she gets home from work (so around 5:15-6:00pm) and the soil is never bone dry. She thinks this yellowing is from over-watering, but is afraid to cut back on her watering as the romas in particular will be wilting pretty heavily from the heat by this time. I'm thinking since they're containered, they might need a booster shot of fertilizer to provide some nutrients since I don't think they've been 'fed' since February or so. But I wanted to get some Expert opinions on this before I proceed on her plants.

Romas:



Sweeties:

Comments (8)

  • L_in_FL
    10 years ago

    I am no expert, but I don't think that overwatering alone causes spots like that. Here's a link to a tomato disease diagnostic guide (with pictures).

    Most tomato diseases can be controlled - at least for a while - by keeping the damaged foliage clipped off and spraying. REMOVE the diseased foliage from the garden - do not compost it or leave it laying on the ground - it will re-infect the plants.

    If you want to stay organic, Actinovate and Serenade are both labeled for most tomato diseases. Both also work best if used early on in the course of the disease. She needs to treat them, especially the Sweeties, ASAP - those spots go pretty far up the plant.

    As to fertilizer, they do look a little pale. With them being in containers, they probably do need a feeding.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Problem Solver

  • whgille
    10 years ago

    Hi Leekle

    Fungicides work better as a preventive and not a cure. I try to water in the morning if possible, it is best to water just the soil and not the leaves. With the rains that we had recently, we get fungal diseases. What kind of soil they are in? store bought soil usually have some fertilizer added. My tomatoes in containers are in full sun and I water them everyday, once a week I apply a weak solution of liquid fertilizer.
    Hopefully you will still get some harvest, I see some tomatoes ripening...

    Silvia

  • bamboo_rabbit
    10 years ago

    As Silvia said only water the soil. That is just what happens here......what you need is the plants growing FAST so they are making new leaves faster than the diseases take them. Eventually though the disease wins but by then hopefully you have harvested a bunch of tomatoes. I know I may get in trouble for this but:) It seems to happen more and progresses much faster on potted toms than those growing in good soil in the earth WHERE THEY BELONG :)

  • Michael AKA Leekle2ManE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    They are potted in a soil mixture and not in any one single 'bagged soil'. I don't rightly recall the ratio of the mixture, but it was pine fines and composted manure. When I potted them, I added the Dynamite Tomato food that I think Bill or Tom suggested at the time. Both her plants and mine are planted in the same medium and while I have gotten some yellowing leaves near the base, they're nothing like hers. If there are any differences in the soil, it is from after the plants were potted.

    My wife and I drink a lot more coffee than my mother and while most of my used grounds have gone to my blueberries (which are growing fairly quick and lush, thanks BB), some have gone to my rose bush and some have ended up in my tomato buckets. I have also hit my plants with slow-release vegetable fertilizer since they were potted as well as recently gave them a brief drink of fairly diluted Fish Emulsion fertilizer (The dilution was in a hose-end sprayer that was set to 3oz per gal).

    Her plants on the other hand... I'm not sure if she's done anything other than water them. Once, about a month ago, I went over with a general purpose water-soluble fertilizer (8-8-8) and hit all her plants, including her tomatoes, but that was about it and any real benefit was probably fleeting at best. (I'm not keen on water-solubles, but sometimes they can help give a boost of growth and/or flowers). I will go over tomorrow and give her plants applicable amounts of slow-release and see how they do... well, I will after confirming if she has fed them at all while she's had them. Unfortunately, I'm out of any instant fertilizers at the moment and the only foliar applicable stuff I have is a citrus micro-nutrient spray.

    Another difference between our setups is that three of my five buckets are nested in reservoir buckets, so they have had water 'on tap' ever since their roots got deep enough.

    Oh, and she and I both have had daily harvests from our plants. She's had enough that she has her kitchen window-sill full of Sweeties and has been giving her neighbors (two sisters) enough to keep them both happy. Oddly enough, even though we're less than a quarter mile away, her Sweeties have been out-producing my Sweeties and I have had buckets full of Romas while she's only had a few.

  • whgille
    10 years ago

    Bamboo, I agree with you about the tomatoes planted in the ground do much better. For those that have bigger space and can amend a lot of their soil, works great. But for others with smaller gardens, containers are the only way to go. I just saw Derek's tomatoes planted in the ground (new spot) and they were doing so good! did not see any sign of disease yet...
    One of my neighbors had gorgeous tomatoes the first season that he did raised beds, after just one season he had to put them in containers because of the nematodes problem, he said that never again had the same luck. I hear everyone saying the same thing.
    Leekle, like I said before, the harvest is all that matters and as long as we get some tomatoes, it is good. After growing tomatoes for a few years, you will find out what works best for you.

    Silvia

  • zzackey
    10 years ago

    The squiggly lines in the leaves are leaf miners. I was told you can squish them with your hand to kill them , but I just pick the leaves off. You can spray something to, but I don't like to spray my plants. Definitely overwatered! She should only water them once a week, deeply. They may need fertilizer, too.

  • Michael AKA Leekle2ManE
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yeah, I have leaf miners on my plants, but they don't bother me much. I've been told they can impede fruit production, but if they've impeded my fruit production any, then it is a good thing. Otherwise, I would be drowning in tomatoes.

    Well, I talked to her and found out that she base-waters her plants, so she hasn't been spraying the foliage with water. She also had not fed her plants, so I will indeed be going over to give them some slow-release. Perhaps a shot of Fish Emulsion? Or would that be overkill?

  • bamboo_rabbit
    10 years ago

    Sylvia,

    I agree that the nematodes are a big problem. I also see people start raised bed and get one good season so again you are right. The key is to mulch heavily under the raised bed. Dig out a foot under the raised bed and place the wood chips 6"-12" thick then put the soil back on top. That base layer of chips will basically just sit there and won't rot because of the lack of oxygen. They will blacken some but won't rot fast..they will last, well i'm not sure but mine are still there 7 years after installation . It makes a barrier that the nematodes won't come through and as long as you keep the organic matter percentage in the bed high you will be nematode free.

    Leekle,

    You are right about the miners...annoying but harmless mostly. That yellow leaf thing though tends to spread fast especially once we start getting rain. Do you use azomite or spray extra minors? It seems to help. I use Axilo mix 5. If you keep the plants very strong they seem to resist longer.