16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

I have organic potting soil/mix, and compost. They have been doing fine for the last month or so, then the vein/leaf issue starting popping up. I noticed a few leaves also with some holes and withering at the very base with the purplish blotches on the non-vein side.

Most of us on the container forum would not recommend compost in containers. But anyway, that ship has sailed this year. I would still give them a good dose of fertilizer, the leaves look a bit pale.

Hi QS,

You might want to ask this over in the Soil, Compost and Mulch Forum, although it doesn't look like there is much in the way of recent activity over there, but someone may be monitoring for new posts and might have some suggestions for you.

Also, it's possible your question has been asked and answered on that forum previously, so you may want to go take a look even if you don't post your question there.

Betsy

Here is a link that might be useful: Soil, Compost and Mulch Forum

In a way you are talking about what is called "sheet composting" or composting in place and the best place for info on that methods is as Betsy said, the Composting forum. While one can read about tossing all sorts of things in with their plants - TUMS, aspirin, egg shells, banana peels, coffee grounds, blended kitchen scrapes, limestone gravel, dog food, moldy bread. and even laundry soap, etc. it is all considered junk gardening by most experienced gardeners.

But the whole idea of But I had read in another topic about someone just throwing things such as banana peels, used coffee grounds and eggshells in the container pots. with plants is rarely recommended for several reasons. Most would strongly recommend avoid doing it all together. Those things all work in a compost pile IF that pile is managed properly. They don't work in a pot. Sorry.

1) it isn't actually composting
2) it attracts pests and critters to the plants
3) as mentioned it can be stinky, slimy, moldy blob with lots of flies
4) and it does nothing for the plants

Composting requires time, weeks of it, and until it decomposes it provides nothing to the plant. It needs mixing/stirring now and then to work and that would be difficult to do in a pot. It also requires water, often more than the plant could tolerate and requires diverse ingredients to work, a balance of carbons and nitrogens. Easy to do in a pile, even a really big container, but not in a pot.

The most common solution to composting with limited space is Vermicomposting which requires only a small box type container and it too has its own forum here full of info.

Dave

Like any new transplant, you have to keep them watered.
And, fertilize with liquid fertilized at 1/3 to 1/4 normal recommended strength every time you water( Use watering can)

Hello NurseChristina,

You list your zone as 5, but where are you located? Knowing that would help us give you better advice.

Do your tomato plants have blossoms or fruit on them? I assume since you mentioned SFG (square foot gardening) that you are planting in a raised bed. Did you move them into another raised bed, directly into the ground or into containers?

As long as they are not in containers, I would suggest side dressing them with the TomatoTone. I suggest it because the nitrogen is lower, you want support for fruits and roots, not foliage growth. NPK = up, down, all around.

Just follow the TT's recommended amounts in a circular furrow about 6" from the stem. Keep the fert off the leaves and roots so they don't get burned. You can follow up with another feeding in 3-4 weeks.

If they are in the ground (or raised bed) I'll contradict Seysonn's watering advice . . . . Neither of us knows where you are or if you are container gardening, so we may both be wrong. However, I'd recommend deep watering if they are in a raised bed or in the ground, I don't think you'll get the deep watering with a watering can. And if you are side dressing, you don't need to feed every watering. If they are in containers, then Seysonn's directions are right on.

I hope that helps.

Betsy

Thanks for the pic Sylvia - did yours look like mine when they were young? Did they increase in size even after they started showing color?

I know Florida tomatoes will be different than Wisconsin tomatoes, but assuming that cake stand is about 14" diameter, your Kosovo are more than twice the size of mine so far.

You are welcome Mandolls, I grow them in containers and the tomatoes were different sizes some probably small like yours and some bigger, from all the heart tomatoes that I tasted they were the ones that I like the best, this season I also grew Monokah's Hat that I also like because they fruit early. I usually use fresh bought seed from the seed companies, this way I am not worried about crossing varieties since I always grow an assortment in my garden.

Silvia

Assuming you plan to use them to make sauce - otherwise why grow that type/variety - then just pick and freeze whole until ready to process them.

That's standard practice with most home canner folks. I sure wouldn't leave them on the plants to go to waste.

Dave

Thanks all. They are picked!

Looks perfect. I became a tomato lover after my first bite of my first Brandywine 3 years ago. I make room in my raised planter for one every year, even though they are enormous plants.

C...congrats! They are awesome...huh?

vkelman, I can't offer advice, however, my plants are having the same problems. Some are in containers (not earthbox) with good potting mix. Others are in raised beds. I have the bright yellow leaves phenomenon, and also the tips wilted, then dried up...the same symptoms you have.

I have pulled most of my plants this year because of this deterioration which essentially killed them, although one had new growth at the base so I cut the dead part and am letting that grow.

I am stumped. Did I overfertilize, underfertilize, water too little, too hot for the plant, roots too shallow for some reason?? I don't know, but just letting you know someone else has a very similar issue. :(

I got an interesting idea from a parallel thread on
tomato ville

"Ken4230: Build some sides (plywood, plastic or doubled cardboard) that will sit on the inside top of your containers and fill them with soil. That will give the roots a place to grow."

I have a "gut feeling" that building up some sides on the top of my containers and adding a fresh mix (peat moss / moister control etc) it will benefit my tomato plants. I'm not sure I'll be able to use plastic covers of Earth Box container afterwards, but I can replace them with some mulch or other stuff.

I made a list of our plants and looked at some description of those varieties. A plant which got dry but still green leaves (a picture above) is actually a Black Prince heirloom which is originally from Siberia and doesn't like hot weather. It might be one reason it got dry leaves.

Here's a list of our plants:

Here is a link that might be useful: List of our tomatoes 2013 with short comments

Just for clarification I never said it was impossible so all the personal digs and little cutesy comments aren't warranted.

One can only reply based on the information provided. Incomplete information up front often leads to unwelcomed responses to your questions.

You asked if it was the variety or something you did wrong. I pointed out that while you did nothing wrong the growing conditions you were providing are less than ideal and were the source of the problem. If you didn't want to hear that then perhaps you shouldn't have asked.

The fact remains that what you consider successful methods and results is not considered so by most and is still far from ideal conditions. Ideal conditions are not defined as in ground only either, merely an adequately sized container.

I said it can be done with meticulous care and that it can be done using a drip irrigation system. I addressed both the watering and the nutrient issue problems in my reply. Sorry you apparently missed that info and that emmers had to rehash it.

When one asks for help those who offer it have the right to expect common courtesy in return.

Dave

PS: thanks emmers.

i will thank you for your attempt at help, dave. there was a rude previous comment that set me on edge. it felt as though i was unwelcome here. i thot you were a little bit condenscending but that's no excuse for rudeness on my part, so, i'm sorry for that.

i need no help with container gardening. as i have more than a dozen houseplants, three tomatoes in pots, and five potted trees..

the fault was mine, i misstated the question. it should have

been ''what causes tough skin in tomatoes''

i'd like to be your friend

susie

I've pruned tomatoes that much before. They'll be fine.

I've pruned tomatoes that much before. They'll be fine.

Small peppers like that make excellent lush green houseplants over the winter, and go crazy in the spring when it warms and you transplant them to a larger container or the ground.

many thanks for the advice. Now will those pepeprs grow in the winter with T-5 lights? I have a 2 ft jump start one and may invest in something larger. Plus my basement has 5 shop lights installed that are dual 4ft bulbs, I would just have to get new bulbs?

Also yesterday I noticed my Yellow Kellog took hold, I didnt think they would make it and did nothing for a month. I thouight it was the container but appears to be doing fine now. It was planted over a month ago. In the bottom photo is my Yellow Pequin, the red thing is the tag from it's solo cup ( I love recycling) lol

Ok im out and will be back tomorrow or Monday. I got to go to a clambake and eat a 2 1/2 pound maine lobster :D

I don't know either. Will have to see Alice about that one.

I had the perfect pair to go with that... Of fused cherry tomatoes. Someone thought they were so funny he ate them while making funny faces, so no picture.

Siberian
New BiG Dwarf
Bush Beefsteak
Manitoba

I have been looking at Tatiana base as well as tomatofest early lists. While early and tasty are oxymoron to a degree I am looking for something like Gary list above, on scale from 1 to 10. Matina, Kimberley and Jaune Flamme seems to get better reviews so they go on the list, am growing Peacevine this year,
Any word on following
Bursztyn
Kootenai
Kotlas
Sibirskiy Skorospeliy
Sugary Pounder
Tambovskiy Urozhayniy

So F1 hybrid is just 1st generation of a cross pollination. Is it possible that it might look like just one of its parents, instead of being different and new?
Therefore, OP seems to be a much better choice because what you see is what you'll get . NO surprises there.

$$$$$$

We just got through discussing fhow F1 hybrids are made in a very recent thread here, but I can't find it right now.

The earliest hybrids were the result of crossing just two parents , ones such as Big Boy, Better Boy, Ramapo, etc.

More modern hybrids are NOT the resul tof crossing just two parents. There are two breeding lines and up to a total of 8 parental inputs, and then the last OP in each line is crossed to form the F1..

If you cross two varieties that look the same , as in two round reds, the F1 will be a round red and may look like one of theparents, the phenotype,but since the F1 is the result of putting together the genes of both it will have traits from both, the genotype..

IN the thread I could n't find I gave a link to a search here at GW on the development of hybrid varieties.

Carolyn

Thank you everyone for your comments, it is much appreciated. I've learned a lot from this thread.

Joeroot, the Booty is quite tasty, and yes, very red. Took one out with us yesterday, out to eat, to have on our burgers.

I'm having to pick them as soon as they "blush" as the birds are liking them too. And a few chipmunks and other small 4 legged critters! But I've been able to harvest enough to have canned 7 quarts and made 10 quarts of spaghetti sauce.