Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
mojavebob

Tomatoes curl up when transplanted

mojavebob
14 years ago

Hi. I'm new here, but I did a basic search for help before posting. I'm determined to grow tomatoes successfully in the Mojave Desert. I have five raised planters in different locations around the house but with identical soil and nearly identical sun. Last year two were used for just four tomato plants, a learning experience that inspired me to go for it this year. I currently have 15 healthy fruiting plants in one of the beds-- Better Boy, Sweet 100, Arkansas Traveler, Super Sioux, Sun Gold. About half from Wal-Mart and half from seed. I couldn't be happier with this garden.

Across the property but in identical conditions I set up a bed for determinates and planted 9 Ace from Wal-Mart (Bonnie) that I had transplanted to 3 gallon pots waiting for warm weather. All 9 plants curled up on themselves and were stunted for two weeks before I pulled them. The leaf branches round down toward the soil and back to the stem and get rigid. The plants almost looked like little palm trees.

Yesterday, I started planting the main bed. One each, good size, hardened off -- Better Boy, Yellow Pear, Porter's Dark Cherry (these three look fine), and SS 100, Goliath Hybrid, Arkansas Traveler, Park's Whopper (these are all curling up to die).

This "wilting" isn't following the symptoms of V or F wilts (as I have been reading up). It's an instant metamorphosis from a healthy plant to a curled up stunted worthless thing. They look like they're ducking for cover or in pain. I'm sure pics would help, but I can't do that, so I gave the best description I could.

Thoughts?

Comments (2)

Sponsored
Hoppy Design & Build
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars9 Reviews
Northern VA Award-Winning Deck ,Patio, & Landscape Design Build Firm