16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

Like I mentioned, there were so many opinions I was just getting more and more confused and just decided that I needed to make a decision and hopefully this mix will work for me.

It can be confusing but for future reference, peat repels water for the most part. It is difficult to get wet and then it dries out quickly and once dried becomes water repellant again. It becomes a cycle of water control issues.

The reason it can work in bagged mixes rather than making your own out of plain peat is the bagged mixes have additives. They come wetting agents already added to eliminate the water repelling and they are already pH balanced by adding lime to the mix.

Better to move while it is already shocked then to let it adjust some and then send it back into shock again. Kinda like folks - we'd rather have all the bad news at one time then get hit with a series of bad surprises. :)

Dave

Ah ...that makes sense about the peat moss.

Would you suggest using straight Miracle-Gro mix or do you have another mix you would recommend?

I'm debating just moving them into the ground. There is a spot next to my house that the dogs can't get to that gets plenty of sun. I feel like the tomatoes would probably be happiest there ...provided I do some soil prep.

Sun Gold in a 10 gallon will be stressed - more and more as it grows. And it will get root bound just because it is a Humongous plant.

But from the looks of the leaves I'd guess a combo of salt accumulation, N tip burn, and some sun scorching. But that is just a guess based on the pic. Need to know what all you have been feeding it and how often and what mix is in the container and what the weather has been (air temps) please?

Dave

PS: keep in mind that Smart Pots dry out 2x faster than plastic containers when it comes to watering.

Thanks Dave,

I recycled most of last years Miracle-grow potting mix. Added some organic fertilizer (about 10-1-2) and organic tomato fertilizer to the mix. After it starts fruiting, I fertilized it with Ammonium-Sulfate and miracle grow 24-8-16 fertilizer, about half table spoon per 2 gal water about once a week.

Like you said, there maybe too much nitrogen and salt accumulation. Also, the leaves facing north looks better than leaves facing south. I will try to leach some salt out of the potting mix. Thanks.

I didn't use grow lights but I didn't use them last year, either. Everything did fine last year. I have a very sunny, south-facing window sil and thought it was enough.

Maybe I didn't harden them off properly. That is probably part of the issue.

Thanks for letting me know, Dave, about the problem of adding leaves. I need to learn more about soil and compost. I really lack knowledge and skill in that area, and it's so important.

I did add blood meal last week but so far it hasn't made any difference.

Thanks, again!

Half of my tomato plants look identical to yours and I'm also debating whether I should pull them or not. Here's some background on my situation which may shed some light on what's happening to both of our plants.

I planted some of my tomato plants in one garden plot. I had tilled compost into this plot several years ago. After that, I simply cover the plot with leaves in the fall, the leaves which remain in spring act as mulch. These tomato plants are doing fine.

I planted other tomato plants in my second plot. I built up this second plot using the lasagne gardening method by piling on coffee grounds, leaves, and grass clippings atop a bed of cardboard. I did this two years ago, and all my tomato plants grew well in this plot last year. I also cover this plot with leaves in the fall. This season, all of my tomato plants in this plot look like the ones in your photo.

I have planted some identical tomato plants in both plots, yet they are not doing well in the second plot. All tomato plants were planted at the same time, May 15, with the same additives in the holes (fish, bonemeal, epson salt, tomato tone). It was warm when they were planted, then it cooled off significantly, and it is now warming up again. We have also had a significant amount of rain since May 15th.

If the additives or weather were a factor, I think it would have affected all of my plants rather than just those in the second plot. This leads me to believe there is something about the soil in my second plot that is affecting the plants.

Strange how we both have similar looking tomato plants in similar soil. I do not till my soil in either plots so the leaves sit on top until they decompose.

This post was edited by jaidog on Thu, May 30, 13 at 19:03

I am planning to save seeds for the first time this year, and would like to know if tomatoes that are left to fully ripen or even over ripen on the plant will produce more viable seeds than those picked at first blush.

Makes little difference. As long as there is obvious blush at the blossom end the seeds are mature. Just let it continue to ripen indoors before harvesting the seeds.

Dave

Thanks so much, Dave!!! Clarity ... gosh how I love it!

I like to keep mine outside, too. I just move them from sun to a shady location. Even in the shady location they will get some of that great natural light, not to mention the fresh air and a little breeze. You probably know that part of the hardening off process is to get them accustomed to breezes/winds.

Agree that once they go out they do best if left out. Back and forth, in and out can be stressful for them as they keep having to re-adjust.

But that means only when day and night temps are ok and you need to make a somewhat wind protected and shaded area for them outside not just set them out on an open deck in the sun.

Dave

Thanks Dave.

I look for old straw, because around here I can usually get it for free.

Betsy

Thanks for the luck! I figure I will pull the worst ones and see if the better ones will be OK. Do I just leave them be or cut off the new/damaged growth?

I went to the nice nursery down the street and the tomatoes were all too big in their small containers and looked terrible :( Then they had big plants in big containers and I don't want those either!

Next year I will do some seeds, and then a few weeks later do some more for back up just in case this happens again. Live and learn.

I had some seedling early that looked like that. Mine was too much fertilizer. Plus after they looked sick I sprayed with Epsom salts. I know what I did. I was watering with dilute blue fertilizer but holding the dripping plant over my tub of potting mix. That bunch of potting mix had way too much fertilizer.

Black Krim's are very vigorous growers, at least for me. The ones I grew this year were from three year old seed and they grew as good or better than any new seed of other varieties.

Different varieties. Different genetics. Can't really compare the performance of them with any accuracy. Like comparing why one child growes taller or faster or wider than another. :)

Dave

Thank you :)

They are getting transplanted today, hopefully that will cheer them up.

"remain calm, all is well."

Just prune those suckers (pun intended) AND those yellow leaves off and everything will be both hunky AND dory.

Mazeltov

I haven't grown either of these tomatoes, but from the looks of the cages and support you have, you should be fine. The tomato plant should thicken the stems a bit more then usual to compensate for the additional weight. I'd wait for Dave to give the final word though ;)

I wouldn't call it the final word. :-) But I wouldn't remove any of those great fruit either. I recall other pics of your set-up and supports and I think it should be possible to tie off a sling support of the fruit truss if you think it is necessary. Yes? No?

They make a plastic truss stem support scroll down to arch support. Cheap and easy to use if you don't mind buying 5000 of them at a time but I find that just a small sling of tulle or other lightweight netting (some use pieces of old pantyhose) under the fruit cluster is even cheaper and works just as well.

Then pick some of the fruit in the cluster at blush (breaker stage) pick it and ripen indoors to remove some of the weight for the rest.

Hope this helps.

Dave

One of the hundreds of Diptera (common flies) one can find in the garden at any time. Looks a deer fly to me.

You asked what is wrong with tomato plant and the answer is some minimal flea leaf beetle damage. You won't ever see them and as I said they pose no threat to the plants. And possibly some herbicide damage that shows in the one photo. Otherwise, nothing else shows in the photos. If you are finding aphids on the undersides of the leaves then you need to squish them or hose them off with water or if you prefer, use some spray on them. But they are not what made the holes in the leaves.

Herbicide damage is common this time of year because so many are indiscriminately treating their yards with no regard for the neighbors. You will have to track down the source of the herbicide and try to find out which one was used. Or you can just monitor the plant and see if it recovers, many do with time. If not it will need to be replaced.

Dave

Aphids have sucking mouth parts used to suck the plant juices. Damage is usually shriveling of leaves.

Beetles have chewing mouth parts that make holes...looks like flea beetle damage where the holes are shown. I would remove critter by hand if possible (toss into bucket of soapy water).

Last picture looks like it could be a type of leaf miner which could be looking to lay its larva. These larva will make paths inside the leaf tissue destroying the tissue. (A leaf miner is a type of diptera [fly]). If you can catch it (in a net) and destroy it - that would be best. Damage is mostly cosmetic and early removal of affected leaf is best.

Interesting article but the "best"? Wow! That's a pretty big broad claim. Especially when it is apparently based on

>one study done in different years a decade or more apart,

>in several different countries in Europe,

>each with very different soils and growing conditions,

>different rates of application,

>compared to untreated control plants and plants only getting other forms of K carriers pre-planting,

>and used as a side dressing or fertigation component (not foliar spray) and the fertigation apparently also included additional N & P,

>with very different results from country to country.

Still, based on the article, it is probably safe to say that plants given additional supplemental feedings of nutrients in some form at specific times during the growing season will out-perform/produce plants given only a pre-planting feeding.

Beyond that the view gets a little hazy. ;)

Dave

try to check these two links: one about tomato fertilizer and the other about potassium nitrate:

Here is a link that might be useful: tomato fertilizer

When would be the best time to trim off dead leaves? Morning or evening? I don't want to stress them out to much.

Hmm, I just snap'em off whenever. I have been known to get over zealous with pruning, but I've never seen a plant respond badly...I doubt removing a few damaged leaves will hurt. On the other hand, leaving them alone may not hurt either if you're worried?