Software
Houzz Logo Print
coyotemars

tomato help?

9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago

My mom picked up a tomato plant while I was shopping for a rose bush at Walmart. She kind of has a black thumb, so she picked out one (through no fault of her own, since she's never really been one for plants) that had a few noticeable problems and I'd promise I'd take care of it for her. I noticed it had a black leaf with a brown spot, and it had brown stem at the beginning of it.

It's been raining here pretty hard, with no sunlight because of the (literal) black clouds. Gotham city has nothing on my city for the past week and a half. There were some breaks, but she told me I couldn't put any plants in front of the windows because there were already tables there, hah, so I'm not sure if it's just sunlight deprivation or something else.

There were black edges around some of the leaves, with "puffy spots" and brown circles.

I think my rose bush might have RRD, too, so i'm thinking maybe they're not taking care of their plants too good :(

Or maybe I'm just being a plant hypochondriac LOL

Though that's not to say I'm not going to argue against that it could be just as much my fault as anyone else's lmao.

Fake edit: It's also a Mr. Stripey, if that helps any!

Real edit: I saw a tiiiiny black spider trying to build a web in an empty space between my two pots, and some of my other plants have been having problems too, like my sunflowers got eaten and my four o clock seedlings have brown leaves, too. Could it be spider mites?

Real edit 2: Could it be chlorosis? Did they wilt from sun shock? I completely forgot to acclimate them to full sun again first yesterday.

Comments (4)

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Pics are a little hard to see on my phone. But that tomato looks very pale. Needs fertilizer badly. Hopefully you've got it planted in a good quality potting mix. You also need to realize that the plant is going to be huge eventually, if it survives, and the pot you have it in now is definitely not going to be big enough.

    I notice on the rose that it looks like it came in a peat pot which you planted directly. You should probably dig it up, take the peat off and re-plant it. And again, that size pot is not going to sustain a rose. Get it in the ground if at all possible.

    Oh, if that tomato came in a peat pot then you'll have to remove it and replant as well.

    It sounds as though you had the plants inside the house while it was raining? Not something you should do but especially if they aren't getting any light.

    A tiny black spider making a web is a non issue. Spider mites should not be confused with actual spiders. Spiders are very beneficial.

    Rodney

    coyote (6a, NE Indiana) thanked theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)
  • 9 years ago

    Yeah, they're temporary pots! We're moving but we haven't found the right house yet. I tried to cut them out of the peat pots but I'm afraid of damaging the roots already poking through.

    I'm using Miracle-Gro potting mix + Hyponex by Scotts Black Mulch + Some kind of tomato food, I think it was Jobe's?

    I'll try your fertilizer idea, thank you! Do you have any brand reccomendations?

    But if they're in pots wouldn't they drown from the rain? I lost a petunia plant - or something similar, it was my grandma's - from leaving it in the rain, even though it had drainage pots.

    Oh, good! I couldn't catch him to take him out so I think he's still there, haha.

  • 9 years ago

    Not spider mites, or any climate/transplant shock.

    Possible reasons

    1-Improper Ph or PH fluctation

    2-Over watering causing a nutrient lockout, diseased roots with a possible combination of above.

    3-Over or under fertilization. Kinda hard to tell by that pic. If that's a semi soiless mix then probably under fertilization. If predominately soil, then over fertilization. If the fresh growth tip at the top has an orange tinge and or weird curling it's for sure over fertilization,


    Determine if its over or under, if under then feed and be sure to let the pots dry out completely before watering. Keep fertilizing at recommended dose every watering until green with dryout periods in between. If no darker green color emerges in a week, you can bet it's 1 or 2.















    coyote (6a, NE Indiana) thanked FastInk
  • 9 years ago

    @FastInk

    Thank you!!! I hope I'm not overwatering, I wait until I don't feel any wetness for at least 2 inches, which is around every week.

    i don't fertilize, I plan on hopefully buying some today! So it's probably under, hah.

    I'll remember your advice, thank you!!!!