16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

super snow white

super sweet 100

C...lots of diverse comments here...I will not address my opinion on the "best" way to grow tomatoes. As to your specific problem...I think you probably answered your own question regarding the rain. Containers (depending on mix) will usually drain water faster. Thus, the containers are healthier now..with more aeration in the soil (very important). All should stabilize soon. Pray for sun.

I suspect is is differences in the soil and not the beds/container.

I also suggest you remove the wood chips. They do pull out nitrogen. Since your plants are yellow - I think you may have low nitrogen.

BTW - I have also had non stop rain and temps bellow 70 and my tomoatoes in raised beds look like your plants in the container. This is a new house for us and I am using two raised beds that the previous owner left and one I built myself. I did not know what shape the soil was in (though she was an awesome gardner - and it looked great). I filled my new bed with 2/3 ordinary soil and 1/3 compost and manure mix from Home Depot. I only fertilized about two weeks after planting because the weather has been so bad and cool.

This post was edited by Timmytoo on Sat, Jun 15, 13 at 12:52

No list of possible symptoms of overwatering?

That curling & twisting is herbicide damage. Likely 2,4-D. Could have been used anywhere in the vicinity, including down the block.

Thanks solanaceae! Your fact-based answer really helped me when considering spacing. I'll have to use stakes due to space issues, but regardless of the type of support thanks for concisely answering the issue of spacing!

I could only space them at 18", but feel better knowing that will work well.

Thanks solanaceae, your informative post has benefited many more (including the original poster). Most people forget that these posts are search-able vis google, and has much larger reach than just posters on this forum.

Do you guys think that compost tea would help the soil (in the fall once I harvest what I can). I also love the top to bottom fix, which I will do! IT's a great solution.

Also I've transplanted some of the plants into containers. I hope they make it.

I did a basic soil test and it read the soil at 6.5. I will have to get a more comprehensive one done but for now it's what i have.

Phytophthora. Search it up. It's a horrible viral condition that occurs when you have poor drainage as you do. I built my raised bed where water collects and found out that some of my plants were extremely stunted, yellow and diseased. I pulled one up and the roots were brown and very unhealthy. If you pull one out and look at the roots, you'll definitely be able to tell. But judging from your first picture of the tomato, phytophthora is definitely a possibility.

Bad soil mix and do you have drain holes in the containers?

Transplant/root shock will hold them back for a while, it depends on how bad the root structure was. Another sign of transplants with bad root structure is having plants wilt in the heat of the day, then perking back up at night.

But i agree with what everyone posted above, lack of oxygen flow in a compacted potting medium will stop plants from growing. It needs to be a potting type mix. They may linger in their stunted form for a while, put out a few "survival" tomatoes, then yellow up and die a few weeks ahead of your other tomato plants.

Hopefully that's not the case, but two weeks without growing is a long time imho.

Here's picture of my black plums. They are still green. They are egg shaped, and this is normal. Little bit larger than a quarter.

The second picture is a picture of sungold cherry tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes are smaller than a Quarter.

I planted them on April 1st.

Thanks for all the feedback. If it's not really a Black Cherry I guess that would explain the elongation. And it was a Bonnie. It's not very tasty, and has a thick skin. Anyway, here's a shot for scale:

I plan to pull it and replace with another, maybe real, Black Cherry.

All of those things would prefer their own pot because of the different needs they have. The tomato looks like it might recover and grow if given it's very own, larger (perhaps much larger depending on variety) container. Soon. It also looks like maybe it has had too much water recently. Cheers!

Cindy,
I think tomato plants are a lot easier to grow in the ground. If you can find some room in the garden it could make your first tomato growing experience more enjoyable.
Gail

Hi Mr. Beno, Growing some in containers was an excellent decision this year. They will do fine......almost impossible to overwater, and they will keep draining well with only minimal problems.

This post was edited by edweather on Wed, Jun 12, 13 at 20:11

I have found out(could be wrong) that curling leave is due to cool temperatures. It is a way to minimize surface exposure to cold: less exposure = less heat loss. I cannot understand why a leaf would curl because of too much water?!

Populations vary from year to year.

Nothing is a constant in a garden. Just when you thik you have all your ducks in a row, nature changes the game plan.

I was told kale can be a magnet to aphids. My kale is covered with aphids, but less than 3 feet away the tomato is fine.