Seems like your plants are getting root bound. Transplant to much larger containers and loosen those roots a bit when you do. Expect them to sulk for a couple of days but then perk right up and take off again. Best of luck.

It seems like after a good watering they perk right up for a day and then boom drooping again. I would transplant them, but don't have the means to do it, I really think the containers are okay - but maybe the roots are being tightened. I can't put them in the garden because of the Black Walnut trees - the oils from years of walnuts in the soil has made it only condusive for onions and peppers love it - kills tomatos.

"All of my tomatoe plants are in pots 2.5 gallon pots..."

The containers are way too small. Those are big indeterminate plants that need a hefty root ball, much more than that size container will allow. The general rule is that 5 gallon containers are the minimum for just about all tomatoes (exceptions being small determinate or dwarf varieties). I grow mine in approximately 15 gallon containers, some choose to go even bigger.

Not only is there not enough room for the roots, the dynamics of a container that small are different. Being only 2.5 gallons, it will dry out much faster than a 5 gallon container. It will need to be watered more often to keep it from drying out, which means fertilizing needs will also be increased since you will be washing out nutrients, and once the plants get bigger and more root-bound the problems will just get worse.

Hello, new here, first time in forums!

I have 3 cherry tomato plants about 10 inches tall. Planted them 8 days ago and seemed fine. Yesterday & today noticed the bottom and mid-area leaves are limp, fragile as tissue paper, pale silvery green. No slime, fungus or pests noted after careful scrutiny. Too much water? Transplant shock?

Thanks kindly for any info/help you can offer. I don't want to lose these plants, raised them indoors from seed and watched them grow.

sandyzgarden,
is there any change in the leaves when it is sunny out vs. the evening after it is darker? What about after watering?

Reply to pearsaml

no, the leaves are constantly limp, fragile. morning, evening, even after watering. i even went 2 days without watering in case i overwatered when transplanting them, but they are still the same. thus far, only bottom and mid area of the plants are limp leaves. the top seems fine and has tiny new growth. just worried the wilt/limp/collapse of leaves will continue until the whole plant dies :(

SJS;

what PA gardener wrote is very true and good advice. I am a container gardener and 2.5 gal is only for the patio picnic, dwarfs and other small fellows.

the mix you have may not be a good match for the container, but that requies some analysis.

This is my first year with a significant container tomato investment. What I have learned!! Not enough, but here in colorado, container gardening and a greenhouse could help us have a decent length growing season, If I can correctly implement it.

There is a section devoted to container gardening and its idiosyncrasies. The pots, mix, watering, fertilizers, ... all different in containers vs. in the ground.

Here is a link to the container forum:

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardenweb container forum

I really think the containers are okay -

Sorry but as already mentioned, there are very few tomato plants that can be grown in a container that small and none of the ones you list are included. 5 gallons is the MINIMUM recommended for any tomato plant and your plants would require something even bigger - maybe 7 gallons but 10 gallons would be even better.

Your plants are root bound and there is nothing left in the pot to hold either water or nutrients for them. Honestly, they will not survive much less produce fruit unless transplanted to much larger containers.

Dave

sandyzgarden you need to start your own thread, as you stomped in on this one

I don't know how they are doing it but one of my local nurseries has 6' black cherry tomato plants in about a 20 oz pot. They are not flowering but have thick stems and look very healthy. They are just laying on a table. I'd be afraid of breaking them trying to transport. I think the pots are coconut coir. I know they are root bound and probably wont sell but how did they do that? Hydro maybe?

sjs your pots are too small. As stated 5 gal. min.

didn't mean to intrude this thread :(

i just saw "wilting tomato leaves" topic and erroneously joined in.

truly sorry, it won't happen again

I'm a little worried about this plant. I was careless and didn't fertilize for 3 weeks due to back pain. This one started wilting. The other 11 are growing great and some are starting to set.
I blasted them with tomato dynamite fert about 4 days ago and I'll give it another week and a half.
It's better boy hybrid. Not sure about Tobacco mosaic virus? I smoke all the time right next to it.

Don't worry about TMV, for in S FL there are a whole bunch of what are called gemini viruses and what you show could well be Tomato Leaf Yellow Curl Virus,

If you go to the disease forum here, link at the top of the page, or even do a Google Search for the U of FL sites that deal with these disease issues I think you'd find out much more info about the possibilities, but what you show are not wilting leaves, they're curled and turning yellow.

Hope that helps.

Carolyn

Don't know what you mean by blasting them with fertilizer. Could you have over fertilized? That can kill a plant in a few days. Fertilizer burn can make leaves crispy. If the plants were given too much fertilizer, you might be able to save them by flushing the pots so that several gallons of water drain out of each pot.

Having the wilt problem as well on only one plant. All get same light, water & care. Worried it will spread to others.

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/wilting-tomato-plants.htm

I suggest you start a new thread and give us more details about how you have been growing your plants and when the wilting started. This discussion started in 2010 so many people are likely to ignore it before seeing your question.

Yeah. start a new thread . Your problem can be different from the op.
The OP had a serious problem , growing in 2 1/2 gallon pots.

Sey