Hello,

This is my first year trying to grow tomatoes in pots. I bought them all as starts at my local garden center and planted them about 40 days ago.

For the past two weeks, the condition of most of my plants has been deteriorating. It started with yellow leaves on the bottom, and now it appears to be happening to the whole plant. I had my first sign of fruit about 30 days ago and haven't picked a single ripe tomato yet.

It seems as if everything has slowed to a halt and they are just getting more yellow (dying). In one of the plants, the buds are dying and falling off.

Please look at these attached pictures and provide me with some advice as to how I should proceed.

PICTURES: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rondaroper/sets/72157620930865967/

Click on 'all sizes' button to see higher resolution pictures.

They are on my very sunny back patio. I need to save these little guys because I NEED tomatoes this year.

PICTURES: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rondaroper/sets/72157620930865967/

Also, I was told at the garden center that using too much fertilizer would cause too many leaves/stems to grow.

Do you have a recommendation on a type of fertilizer to use? If these are going to die without it, I'll forgo the organic route this year and use fertilizer if it means they'll live.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0722183229880.html?29438

Thanks for your input!

Growing organic doesn't mean no fertilizers, even when grown in the ground.

There are many organic fertilizers available now also.