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| I wrecked tomatoes last year (first attempt). I am trying to do better this year - built raised beds, followed some soil/fertilizer/watering instructions. The plants grew wonderfully at first and then started having leaf issues (lower yellowing, some curling). Now some entire 'branches' look like they are dying off on an otherwise OK plant. First pic is the plant, second is a closeup of a distressed section. Any ideas? I water once a week and add a little tomato-tone every 10 days. Thanks...I really want to get some decent tomatoes this year and am frankly worried I may have botched things again :S |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by serge94501 10a Alameda CA (My Page) on Tue, Jun 25, 13 at 23:52
| Closeup |
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- Posted by suncitylinda 9A SoCal Inland (My Page) on Wed, Jun 26, 13 at 1:12
| YOur raised beds look great! I don't know what type of wilt that is but tomatoes are subject to any number of issues so it is not necessarily anything you did wrong. I will say that being is zone 10 in SoCal you likely could have planted out earlier. I plant out mid March to mid April. Your plants have blossoms but we are coming into our really hot weather now. The trick is to get tomatoes SET before it gets into the 90 and 100s every day. |
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- Posted by serge94501 10a Alameda CA (My Page) on Thu, Jun 27, 13 at 1:27
| Hi Linda: I am actually in NorCal, in Alameda (a small island off Oakland, across the bay from SF). My plants are fruiting, some better than others. Oddly, the "Mighty Mato"s are the poorest performers :( |
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| Serge, in Alameda, I'd guess you have to water more than once a week. I'm in San Bruno across the bay from you and despite cooler temps, I water my tomatoes about every 2-3 days in full sun, even if we never seem to hit 70 these days. I'm not certain that is what caused the wilt/damage, but perhaps address that first? Just a thought, :-) Grace |
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| "add a little tomato-tone every 10 days" You are feeding your raised bed like a container, and that really shouldn't be necessary unless you are having issues with nutrients washing away like containers do. With that feeding schedule, which is pretty close to what the package directions for Tomato-tone say to do, I would expect the plants to look more lush. (Deeper green with more leaf cover and branching.) Also, "a little" doesn't tell us if what you are feeding is too much, too little, or just right. With temperatures in the 60s, a weekly watering may be sufficient, and is generally the desired interval, as long as it does not get dried out. By watering deeply, you are training your tomatoes to look deeper for their water (and food.) Shallow rooted plants are more susceptible to dry spells and temperature fluctuations. However, if you are not watering deeply (or that is not water receptive soil under the beds) then it may not be enough and that could be the problem with the branches that are dieing. "...lower yellowing, some curling..." Those are very typical signs of overwatering. If the soil under the beds has a lot of clay in it and doesn't drain well, it could be that you are watering too much. Either way GardenWebber sprouts_honor (Jennifer from Cleveland) had a wonderful suggestion on how to tell whether or not you need to water your tomatoes, and I quote here: "Get a wooden dowel rod (or two) and sink it in the ground near a plant or two and leave it. Pull it out when you think you need to water. If the top is dry and the bottom is a little damp, it's time to water. If it looks dark and feels saturated, wait to water. I use this technique with potted plants that don't like being over watered and it's helpful with in ground plants too." I hope that helps. Betsy |
Here is a link that might be useful: Signs & Symptoms of Overwatering Tomatoes
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| To me, your plants look fine with an exception of the dead branch. But they are not as vigorous. Water and food are kept near minimum. as if they have been on weight watchers diet. That is why they are slim, but healthy thou. |
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