Topic: What's wrong with my tomato plants?

[valmarg]

gardenqueen asked what was wrong with her tomatoes, and the consensus was magnesium deficiency.

Then it all went off at a bit of a tangent - whether to treat, not to worry, I don't worry about this, as long as it's lower leaves, etc, etc.

It obviously was magnesium deficiency.

Now, whether that will affect the crop is the life and death question.  We obviously all grow our own tomatoes of whatever variety.  What we want is SIMPLY THE BEST, BETTER THAN ALL THE REST!!

I think?

valmarg

[gardenqueen]

Crikey! I am glad it's not only me that is having problems!

I shall try the epsom salts solution and see what happens! I thought it was something to do with the new variety I have grown, Dobies "Red Cap". I have them on a bench and they have only grown to the eaves of the greenhouse and appear to be cropping well. Although I did find some tomatoes with black ends today. Never had that before, must be the heat, and trying to keep the flippin' things moist

Must say the plants are a bit unusual in that there are no leaves to nip out between the branches from the main stem. Instead the tomatoes are growing directly from there!

[gardenqueen]

I meant to mention it's only the lower leaves that seem to be affected.

Why am I going to all this trouble when it's only my husband that eats the blinking things!   ???

[amphibian]

Must say the plants are a bit unusual in that there are no leaves to nip out between the branches from the main stem. Instead the tomatoes are growing directly from there!

It's a determinate (bush) variety.

[djbrenton]

gardenqueen asked what was wrong with her tomatoes, and the consensus was magnesium deficiency.

Then it all went off at a bit of a tangent - whether to treat, not to worry, I don't worry about this, as long as it's lower leaves, etc, etc.

It obviously was magnesium deficiency.

Perhaps it's obvious to you that it's magnesium but there was NO concensus. It's one possible answer. As I pointed out, some treated it as other than magnesium deficiency ( which last year was my suggestion ) and still seemed to solve the problem. For information, magnesium deficiency generally presents as an overall yellowing of the leaves, not this patchy yellowing that tends towards blotchy browning in some cases. Magnesium defiency wouldn't just go away on it's own, yet this year this blotchy yellowing doesnt seem to spread when untreated. I've seen this in around 30 greenhouses this year, and whereas last year I recommended epsom salts, this year I've advised no action and so far everyone seems to have found it not continuing beyone a certain point. I'm inclined to think it's weather related and doesn't affect newer leaves that grew after a particular weather point. Sorry to be so vague but this particualr problem doesn't fit in to any of the standard problems and doesnt affect the plant to the degree that magnesium deficiency does.
By all means treat them to some epsom salts, it can't do any harm, but you might be better advised with nitro chalk to treat what's possibly blossom end rot.

[tricia]

gardenqueen - if you found tomatoes with black ends it is most likely 'blossom end rot' unfortunately! This is a disease which will spread so the affected plant should be burnt. It will soon spread to the rest of the plants if you leave it. It is supposed to be caused by inadequate and/or irregular watering. This happened to all my friend's plants last year - and he has already lost one plant with the disease on the not yet fully grown tomatoes this year :(.

His greenhouse is unattended two days a week, which in the hot weather we've had recently was too long to leave tomato plants without watering. He's going to try using 2 litre coke bottles filled with water and upended into the soil of the pots in the hope that the 2 litres will suffice during his absence.

Tricia

[gardenqueen]

Oh dear! Never had blossom end rot before. I must admit it has been an effort to keep the plants well watered. Hubby will have to have bought in tomatoes instead then.  :'(

Thank you for all your advice.

[djbrenton]

If you remove any affected fruits and give the plants some calcium you have a chance of new fruit.

[tim]

Please - it's NOT a disease - just a malfunction at the blossom end. And it will NOT spread.

Careful watering & calcium feed & spray at 3 day intervals.

And you can eat the bits that haven't gone leathery.

[gavin.]

now is this blossom end rot or blight then?



If it is blight then I'm in trouble as I found these in my greenhouse where I've got about 25 plants. The bottom part of the biggest tom was a bit squidgy.

[tim]

Now that's a good one,Gavin!

E&OE - that is NOT BER.  But if it were blight, surely your plants would all be collapsing by now? And in no time the lot will have gone?

That is something I get most years. Don't like it, but I don't panic.

Is this any help?

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/3588/yourquestions2.html#tomblight

[gavin.]

thanks Tim

being mildy obsessed with my tomato plants at the moment means I am a little oevr-cautious when strange things happen. Also this is the first year I have grown them which doesn't help. (cant buy experience eh?)

[tim]

You're wise to watch it!

[gardenqueen]

Do I use the epsom salt spray as well as a calcium feed? Also, can I get calcium feed in a garden centre?

I noticed that Supersprout is growing her tomatoes in very small pots, with masses of room on top of the plants for watering. My plants are in large clay pots and although I left ample room for watering, the roots have filled the pots! This has made watering difficult so I have had to put deep saucers underneath each plant and water from there. How does everyone else plant up their tomatoes?

Nettie

[supersprout]

The space at the top was an accident gq but is very handy, so will attempt next year. NB giant bag of spent hops underneath small ring pot of compost! ;D
They are doing well in spite of overcrowding among the squash. Will give them more space next year :-[ :)



Onions drying in the middle ::)

[tricia]

Supersprout - how envious I  am of your lovely big GH :). My poor effort is a very small lean-to backed on to next door's fence which means it doesn't really get enough light. I have three tomato plants in pots in the 90cm width at one end, two cucumbers at the other, six capsicums on shelves in between (170cm length in all) and three aubergines on the floor. I dream of having a decent sized GH, but it will have to remain just that for lack of space.
Oh well, a neighbour's son has just brought me chocolates for being a bit too boisterous when he came home at 3am last night   8), so that is some consolation :D.

Tricia

[gardenqueen]

Wow! What a productive greenhouse!  :o :o Like Tricia, I too am envious of your greenhouse. I only have 4 tomato plants and 6 Chili plants and it's pretty full!

Think I will try, next year, to make sure my pots have plenty of room for watering.

[tim]

Crafty drying, Sprouty! Great, those trays?

[supersprout]

Aww thank you for your kind words - the greenhouse has been such a pleasure (thanks to ebuygumbayer Melbourne12 and family :-*). Early days for figuring out trellising arrangements- that and spacing are a big learning curve. It's my first ever g'house and these are my first ever solo toms {excited beyond reason} ;)

You got your neighbour's son well trained tricia!

The trays were a gift from an allotment fairy tim - they just appeared in the g'house one day ???

[barrowbob]

. How does everyone else plant up their tomatoes?

Nettie

This year I have cut grow bags across the middle, stood them on their ends with several small holes around the base (used the dibber from the rooting powder tub), folded over the tops of the bags and put my supports strings through holes in the folded tops - seem to be doing OK and they're fairly easy to get in about to water.