tomato plant problems - need help plz

16 years ago

I posted this to the growing seed forum too - thought it wouldn't hurt to check here as well..

Most of my tomato plants look great but a handful are turning yellow and brown on the outer edges of the leaves. I think what I found said overwatering, but I'm watering all of the plants about the same amount and they aren't all having this problem. They are still inside under the lights but this has happened to a couple smaller plants that are probably 3" away from the lights, so I don't think its burning (I could be wrong though). Some of them are planted in fertilome ultimate potting mix (peat moss, perlite, limestone, dolomite) and some are planted in the mix that's in my beds (topsoil 50%,compost 20%, manure 20% and humus 10%). The yellowing is happening on larger plants in the potting mix and smaller plants in the bed mix. I just want to make sure I catch whatever is causing this before it starts hitting all the plants. I do top water (I know bad, sue me, I don't have a set up this year to bottom water), and I dont think I water too much, usually once a day but not a lot of water (maybe 1/2 a tbsp?). They are in 16 oz cups. I had just watered before I took the pictures so thats why the top looks wet (I tried putting some fertilizer in them last night). Maybe I need to let them dry out and then give them a thorough watering after that..

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

greenthumbgrowing
16 years ago
It looks to me like the yellowing on the plants is either caused by being caused by being to close to the light or to much fertilizer or both at the same time. Did you let them get so dried out that they wilted down a lot? If so it could be from that. If not any of those it could be a nutrient deficincy. Sometimes if you expose tender plants to a lot of light and fertilizer at the same time they will get "burned" If you use organic fertilizers they are not as likely to burn your plants as chemical fertilizers are. If you wanna learn more about organic fertilizers I have created a webpage that is full of information on organic fertilizers and growth enhancers to increase plant health and yield and other gardening topics too. You can check it out at the link below. Happy gardening :)

Here is a link that might be useful: site about awesome natural fertilizers to increase yields and other gardening advice too
digdirt2
16 years ago
If you use organic fertilizers they are not as likely to burn your plants as chemical fertilizers are

Sorry to disagree but it is just as easy to OVER-fertilize with organics as it is with synthetics.

tobaira - watering once a day is far too much water and your plants are showing the effects of excessive watering, poor drainage, and being root-bound. The end result is root death. Plus there are some signs of excessive nutrient burn as well. I also hope there are drain holes in those cups? It doesn't ake a special set up to bottom water - just set the cups in a couple of inches of water in the sink for 30 mins. or so.

Top soil in a small container compacts and doesn't drain well so retains all that water, manure burns, and top watering creates shallow roots that die off quickly.

I would re-pot those plants into larger cups with drain holes and shake off as much of the existing soil as possible when doing it. Put them in potting mix, not homemade soil. Cut back on watering by at least half. You will lose some of those leaves but the new growth should be good.

Hope this helps.

Dave
Related Professionals
Fayetteville Landscape Contractors · Atlanta Landscape Contractors · Alexandria Landscape Contractors · Annapolis Landscape Contractors · Cherry Hill Landscape Contractors · Galveston Landscape Contractors · Huntington Landscape Contractors · Waterbury Landscape Contractors · Newburyport Landscape Contractors · Laconia Landscape Contractors · Rapid City Landscape Contractors · Fayetteville General Contractors · Atlantic City General Contractors · Norfolk General Contractors · Victorville General Contractors
tobaira
Original Author
16 years ago
ok.. less water, bottom watering, potting mix. Although the particular plant I have in the picture actually is in the potting mix. Several others will need to be switched though

And yes the cups had drain holes.. not that I recall ever seeing any water come out of them. Instead of the sink would it work just to stick the one cup with the holes in the bottom in a cup without holes that has water in it?

Also should I pot up my other tomato plants that don't have this problem that are the same size as the one in the picture? I thought I could get away with the 16 oz cups until they go into the garden, but thats still probably 3 weeks away. I guess 20 oz cups would be the next step up? I bought some planting containers.. but when I got them I realized they are shorter than the 16 oz cups so they won't be of any use this year..

thx
-t