Help! First-timer gardener, Possibly over fed tomato.

12 years ago

Hello, had recently tried my hands at growing tomatoes. Specifically Juliet tomatoes, I don't own acres of land. It Just something to grow on my patio. Using a an average plant pot. did the regimented watering up to twice a day on really hot days. did a very simple compost in the potted soil using eggshells.

Its not exactly 1st gen or any high quality like that, but I bought it as a small sprout. Im still new to this whole "growing things" idea, and felt that 4 weeks + I should have started at least seeing some flowers. The plant indeed grew, its about 1-2feet in height. So I thought....fertilizer may help. Well I wont lie i didn't pay quite enough attention to the instructions on the miracle grow container. So Instead of the once per week, i used it 3 days consecutively. After the 3rd day I noticed not only did the plant start to shrivel. It looks like someone took a lit-match to the leaves. Of course this is the time when the flowers finally decide to show up...

Part of me just wants to toss the damned thing after so much time wasted, and another half of me just want to see it get better.

Plant went from looking like This:
http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv327/MechPilot2/WP_000303_zps0b549ed9.jpg

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv327/MechPilot2/WP_000304_zpsfb311bcb.jpg

To This:

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv327/MechPilot2/WP_000312_zps8644cc7d.jpg

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv327/MechPilot2/WP_000313_zps43bc1ca8.jpg

Give it to me straight doc...is my plant dead?

This post was edited by SgtStinkWeed on Sun, Jun 15, 14 at 16:11

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Comments (5)

digdirt2
12 years ago
Well you are right that it did need some fertilizer since you can't grow in pots without some supplemental fertilizers. Just not so much. :)

While it does show a great deal of nitrogen burn on the leaves in the photos it can recover as you can easily flush a lot of the excess fertilizer out of the container with plain water. You'll lose a lot of the severely damaged leaves but you should see some new growth in 7-10 days and hopefully get some fruit from your second bloom period (the first blooms will mostly be dropped).

So i'd recommend 1 good flushing of water until it runs out the bottom of the pot. Then normal watering as needed for the next 2 weeks and no more fertilizer until after new leaf growth begins to develop well.

Then dilute the MG and use it once every 7-10 days max. How much you need to dilute it depends on size of the container and, since MG comes in several different rated formulations, the N-P-K rating on your box?

1/4 strength is safe and you might get away with 1/2 strength depending on which product you have.

The instructions on the box apply to in-ground plants, not containers.

Hope this helps.

Dave
SgtStinkWeed
Original Author
12 years ago
Yes that helps a ton, thank you! Because i wasnt sure if this plant had hope or not. Tho when i went outside later today the flowers blossomed. So its doin somthing, just don't know what lol.

also about the burnt leaves, from what ive been reading. Leaves do not repair themselves once damaged, I could prune them. But It would have to remove ALL the leaves.. which seems like a bad idea...
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digdirt2
12 years ago
Just leave them and they will gradually fall off on their own is necessary. Pruning them will only add more stress to the plant right now. It will look like ^%$*^# for awhile but given time new growth should develop. If no sign of any new growth in 10 days them the root damage may have been too severe and it will collapse. Then you can toss it. But give it a chance.

Dave
SgtStinkWeed
Original Author
12 years ago
So today is the 22nd, figured I would give an update on the plant. Can't say im seeing any progress, certainly not seeing any new growth.

leaves :still burnt
Stem: still looks green:
Conclusion? I dunno...

The plant had up to 8 flowering buds over the last 2-3 days. now they are gone. Not sure if that is a good or bad sign.

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv327/MechPilot2/WP_000341_zps63bda2ae.jpg

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv327/MechPilot2/WP_000344_zps86dbaf1d.jpg

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv327/MechPilot2/WP_000342_zps6a09d3a0.jpg

So im curious what the heck does one do with a (Dead plant)? just dig up and toss it aside?
SgtStinkWeed
Original Author
12 years ago
welp after some weeks of careful pruning, and using the jobe tomato spikes http://www.amazon.com/Jobes-6005-18-Pack-Outdoor-Fertilizer/dp/B001REDIZ2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405700098&sr=8-2&keywords=jobe+spikes

I must say digdirt knew what he was talkin about all along. The plant would indeed recover. No only that its got tons of fruit!

pics

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv327/MechPilot2/WP_000382_zps0c687c07.jpg

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv327/MechPilot2/WP_000376_zps362d3a43.jpg

http://s696.photobucket.com/user/MechPilot2/media/WP_000385_zps7ac75fc6.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

thx again! knew coming here would pay off =)