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diamondgal_gw

Is there something wrong with these tomato plants?

DiamondGal
9 years ago

Please view the leaves on these plants. It does not look like early blight to me, but they do not look right. Not all the tomatoes in the garden or in the containers look like this, just a few of them. Should I just yank these plants out? Is there something that can save them?
Notice that the new leaves on top are nice and healthy looking and green.

Thanks.

Comments (13)

  • jean001a
    9 years ago

    Have they had any fertilizer? If not, please give them some.

  • djkj
    9 years ago

    That plant is waiting to be fed some fertilizers. Give em some!

  • sheltieche
    9 years ago

    I was wondering what kind of soil prep did you do and what fertilizer program you follow... also if you hardened off your seedlings

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    Insufficient nutrients and over-watering are the most common causes of the yellowing of older leaves such as in your photo.

    Dave

  • DiamondGal
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    No, I didn't harden off the seedlings, but they were on a sunny windowsill before coming outside. I have not fertilized them yet so if it's as simple as that, whew! I've watered them each evening but not a lot because we've had rain. I usually use Miracle Gro for all vegetables, etc. is that what you all use? It seems to work well other years. Just have to get out there and buy some.

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    Tomatoes need about 1 inch of rain per week, and do better with weekly (or 2-3 times/week if really hot and dry but that's it, 3 is really pushing it) deep watering. Daily shallow watering just encourages shallow roots. It definitely looks like overwatering.

    I don't know anything about MG for vegetables - what are the NPK numbers? You want something lower in N otherwise you'll get all foliage and no fruit.

    Containers will need more frequent watering and fertilizing than in-ground.

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    The fact that they were on a sunny window sill is irrelevant to planting them outside, sorry. It is a radical change in environment as far as the plant is concerned so hardening off is required.

    And watering them "each evening" is definitely way over-watering, even if there had been no rain. That results in shallow rooted, water-dependent plants. In ground plants, assuming the soil is even half way decent, do well with watering every 5-8 days except maybe in the high heat of summer in the deep south.

    I usually use Miracle Gro for all vegetables, etc. is that what you all use?

    Fertilizer is your choice but your plants are in dire need of something. Based on the many discussions about fertilizers here (search will pull them up for you), no MG is not high on the list of preferred fertilizers. Personally I think there are hundreds of better nutrient choices available.

    Dave

  • DiamondGal
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, I'll do some research on fertilizers on here and see what I come up with. I didn't realize I was over watering them and wouldn't you know it's been raining all day today! I guess that will do them for about a week, for the ones that are in-ground. There are several in containers that look healthier than these. I only planted them outside Memorial day weekend, so I still have a chance to help them thrive.

  • sheltieche
    9 years ago

    My personal choices right now will be liquid ferts such as Neptune Fish and Neptune seaweed. I would not touch MG even if was free but that is just me.

  • jimster
    9 years ago

    Yep, it's time for fertilizer. MG works just fine. I don't know why it is so often badmouthed.

    Jim

  • DiamondGal
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I ordered some Neptune's fish and seaweed fertilizer and it will be here tomorrow. We had 5 days straight of rain here so there wasn't much I could do about the over watering problem. Can't wait for the Neptune's to get here so I can apply some to my hungry plants - hopefully that was the problem. I'll let you know how they do.
    Thanks for your answers.

  • Sandpaper Tongue
    9 years ago

    What's wrong with MG? Is it a dislike of the company, or is the product bad in some way?

  • cold_weather_is_evil
    9 years ago

    >> What's wrong with MG?

    Big target. Miracle Gro is Scotts which is joined at the hip with Monsanto (Round-up), the biggest middle finger chemical company on the planet.

    I won't use it, but there's nothing wrong with it. It's just chemicals, as is all its competitors. If someone won't use it or any other chemical fertilizer either, that's fanaticism. My kind of fanaticism, actually.

    If someone won't use it but will use another chemical fertilizer, that's only unfounded bias. To single out MG is stupid.

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