Tomatoes are dying . . . help!

16 years ago

Ok, you guys saved my butt last year when I tried to grow in containers that were too small: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0722183229880.html?29438

Your advice saved my tomatoes and we were able to enjoy a bountiful harvest.

Well, I'm having problems AGAIN and need your expert advice. We moved to a new house and tried planting directly into some garden plots that the previous owners had put together in the back yard.

Here are pictures taken tonight of my dying plants:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rondaroper/sets/72157624014923132/show/

I think they've gotten enough water. I watered them plenty on the first day and it's rained many days over the past three weeks since they were planted. I've seen almost NO GROWTH since they've been planted. We did have a couple days where the rain oddly turned to hail for a minute or two, but I don't think the temperatures outside actually dropped below freezing.

Did I plant them too early?

I did rake some pine needles off of the plots before planting them - would that have made the soil too acidic?

I'm stuck and just want some juicy tomatoes later this summer, so any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

Here is a link that might be useful: PICTURES OF MY DYING TOMATO PLANTS

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Comments (3)

sprtsguy76
16 years ago
I'm kind of shooting in the dark here.... but maybe you planted too early. It also appears that they have been getting pounded by rain. Those two reasons are why your not seeing any growth. The picture with the new growth thats kind of a blue-is green concerns me a little but other than that they might bounce back once the weather warms up.

Damon
cyrus_gardner
16 years ago
From your description, I think that your plants have gotten too much rain
and additionally, damaged by rain drps or hail OR BIG DRPS from pine trees?
I woul suggest to ferlilize them and do not over water them and use some of that
pine straw to mulch them
ABOUT PH:
Tomatoes are very flexible and tolerant of wide ph range, from under 6 to over 7.
But, at any event you cannot increasw ph right now, because,
lime will take several months to be effective and it is not compatible with fertilizer.
Even then, you need to have your soil tested, that is at the end of the season.

If your land is flat/low and rain water will accumulate, maybe you should consider
making raised beds !?
Also stay away from under the canopy of trees, as far as you can.
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sunsi
16 years ago
If it were me.....I'd give them lots of Humas/Manure compost (from Walmart or Lowes) dig it in lightly around the base of the plant and Fish/Seaweed emulsion when watering. I'd shade them from the hottest sun at noon time till they showed signs of recovery. Best of luck :)