16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

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?

The 511 mix definitely encourages root growth. Last year the roots went clear down throught the 511 mix and grew through the drain holes in the bottom and anchored the container to the ground.

5/1/1 is definitely something I want to try, as I have read the rave reviews! But I got lazy and ended up using MG mix in one container (a big Rubbermaid tub) and another bagged mix (jungle something?) in another. Both are thriving, and both have roots growing throughout the tubs and into the ground through the drain holes. So far so good!

The twisting may just be an attempt to find better light, and the drooping may be related to the fact that they were outside and are now in (and overwatered). I think when you get them back into the hardening off process, they will perk back up.

I can't really see the "scald" well enough to tell if it is sunburn or something else. I've alwsys seen it as whitish patches on leaves, but perhaps I just didn't notice it on stems.

I see that your neck of the woods is supposed to have temps in the 70s for the next few days with some very cool nights, I say get them back outdoors and get them ready to planting. Warmer weather will come.

We've been cold, wet, and windy here too.

Betsy

Had trouble logging in. The plants did look better in the morning, and stayed looking good when I put them out under overcast skies this afternoon. I'll have to go slow with hardening off process again since it is supposed to be in the 80's (near 90) later in the week and they hadn't spent a full day in bright sun and heat before the cold and rain came. But they are all in garage and basement tonight, no more coming in the house under the lights!

Hope I can start planting them this weekend - a week behind schedule.

Going to start hardening off the peppers soon. In the meantime, I planted more lettuce, beets, and got my cukes and radishes in today, squash and beans tomorrow. Carrots are starting to germinate.