Topic: Have I poisoned my Toms?

[jaqz]

Help! - i have finally planted out my tomatoes onto the plot, they wre doing very well at home, in pots, left them out to harden off a little (maybe not long enough?), and planted them with a small handfull of tomato and cucumber fetilizer (the organic one from wilko's), plus a little rockdust.

Now two have died , and one of the others is going the same way........

symptoms are: the leaves turn while and then yellow and die. -

Have i overdone the fetilizer, or have i just not hardened off enough?

[Old bird]

Hi Jaqz

I wouldn't have thought that hardening off will be the problem and cannot think that you have overdosed them with fertilizer - there isn't an ants nest in the soil?  They have done in one of my tomato plants and an aubergine.

Other than that I can't imagine what they are doing - hopefully someone will be along in a moment and give you a better clue as to what is happening!

Old Bird ;)

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

if the leaves go white and transparent(y), that's a sign of sun or wind damage, so they've not been hardened off enough. Can you protect them a bit with some transparent sheeting, like a windbreak?

[jaqz]

Thanks for your responses! - it might be the wind then? - they are not going tranparent though, just a white /yellowy colour, it seems to move up the plant, then they die........ i have planted two cucumbers and a pumpkin, and the same seems to be happening to them. Trully gutted as everything was coming on so well at home.

Going to plant some more out in another spot without any fetilizers today, to see they fair any better.

Have suffered a flooding to my peas already this year, so lost a fair few but hoping the rest can recover enough for a few pods, so luck is not on my side  ::)

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

maybe it was over-fertilizing - you get yellowing of leaves and wilting, a bit like dehydration

[Tee Gee]

You don't mention 'watering'!!

Could you explain your watering regime prior to the event.

Cucumbers are very susceptible to 'neck rot' caused by the plants being too wet at the point where the plant emerges from the soil/compost, the same can happen to tomatoes but to a lesser extent.

[jaqz]

Prior to planting out they were being watered just 2-3 times a week, and were totally healthy, i planted them out last Monday, so maybe the ground was still too wet?, they were then watered lightly, and i think we may have had some rain, the ground was not waterlogged in that bed as its at the top end of the plot, but maybe wet for them compared to the peat free compost id been using in the pots, which tends to dry out very fast?

At the moment 1 has dried up completely and died, (similar to dehydration in look), and 2 others are following, whilst one  has stayed healthy so far, wish i could remember if i forgot to add the fertilizer to that hole, as that would answer the question!

its so annoying to loose them when they have done so well  :'(

[Tee Gee]

i could remember if i forgot to add the fertilizer to that hole

I'm afraid I don't agree with this type of feeding simply because I think it increases the chances of over doing the feeding and doing more damage than good.(which might be your problem)

When you consider that most application guidelines say; so much per square metre / yard, this could mean; to use an old description; apply a handful per square yard putting a hand full in a 3 inch hole means you have treated that small area at around 150-200 times greater than the recommendations.

Can you see my reasoning?

My motto is; Stick to the recommended dose its better for the plants and cheaper on the pocket!!

[peasmad]

This sounds very like over fertilization. Part of the formula in fertilisers includes certain ingredients which act like salt. This adheres to the end of the root. It then absorbs water from the plant, and does not allow any further water or nutrients to enter the plants system. So I'm afraid to say, that your method of feeding you plants has resulted in 'mass murder'. Try planting some new plants, bought ones in to the soil without the overfeed.
But first I'd dig over the plot where you planted them originally in the hope of spreading out the fert you dolloped in. We all learnt by our mistakes. Better luck next time.

[cleo]

I could be over feeding-but I`m sceptitical-it`s been ruddy cold at nights for the time of the year-that would be part of the problem for me

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

if you have any toms left, and you think they may go the same way, you could carefully dig them up, wash off the soil from the roots, and repot them for a week or two.
You could also take cuttings from the healthy ones, if you can't buy any new ones - they'd root within a week, still lots of time for a crop

[jaqz]

Thanks everyone! - thankfully id only put in four tom plants and have the rest in pots still so all is thankfully not lost, although i may have  lost 2 out of my 4 cucumbers, and my pumpkin might need to be dug up as  you suggest Rhubarb Thrasher :'(. But its just lucky i didnt plant out everything at once  :o

You live and you learn don't you, ive never done that before have no idea what it was that encouraged me to do it, ive been reading too many books about soil depletion i think  ???

Hopefully my mad moment will stop anyone else being so daft!

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

if you do dig up your pumpkin, be very careful with the roots (and the stem). Toms will put up with a lot of messing around, but squashes probably are more delicate

[jaqz]

The pumpkin is in bud so im not happy to disturb it again unless i have to, so im just keeping an eye on it for a few days before deciding as its only one leaf so far.....

[windygale]

hi jaqz, why not try growing them in grow bags, i grow mine in cheap ones from co-op, i water 3 times a week and give them a liquid tom feed every weekend (ie;- one cap full to a 5ltr of water, this waters 12 plants) all plants are out side and starting to flower
hope this helps

[organicandy]

Hi, overwatering of toms can cause this problem, plus you shouldnt feed toms at all untill the fruits are pea size,  if possible water your toms at the same time daily but only a little water, its very easy to over water toms, also if you have a greenhouse or cold frame always keep your watering can full inside the greenhouse because toms realy dont like the shock of cold water on their roots, hope this helps you, regards Andy