San marzano toms.

[carolinej]

Hello :)

I have 2 SM tom plants in my conservatory in black pots. They have grown about 12 inches high, but very spindly. Now they seem to have no leading shoot, and I have taken off all the side shoots. The leaves are yellow, with red stripes. Altogether very unhealthy looking.

Should I bin them and replace them with something else?

Thanks

cj :)

[carolinej]

[MrsKP]

I sowed mine late so they're quite tiny atm, but healthy green looking though.

I've found a big difference with say the Tigerella which is tall and spindly, the cream sausage that has skinny leaves and Biscombe's Muchamiel which is a veritable forest.

It's quite interesting watching them all develop their individual style lol

I've packed a pop bottle collar filled with compost round one of the Tigerellas to develop a better rootsystem.

[Marymary]

Could it be your compost!??

I'm growing a few SM & they seem to vary a lot.  From the same packet I've got normal leaf plants and potato leaf plants!

[carolinej]

Could well be the compost, as it is rubbish!

cj :)

[gridgardener]

sound like you kill you plant by over pruning and improper growing methods.
Oh well those who follow bad growing methods kill there plant before bugs do.
Advice for future do not prune you tomato plants until you learn how to grow them in the proper manner.

[carolinej]

Oooh gridgardener, you certainly know how to make friends on a new forum :-*

cj :)

[MrsKP]

lol, I thought it was a bit harsh too !  Old griddy hasn't put up a location, so might not be English as first language ?  Something lost in the translation perhaps.

;D

[legendaryone]

He is a silver tongued devil isn't he ?  ;D ;D


He is on several forums and it appears he is American but lives here.

[MrsKP]

explains a bit !   8)

[Jeannine]

Gosh Caroline, I bet that one hurt,have a hug honey.


Gridgardener. I would like to think you meant your comments to be useful but I think you should suggest them in more friendly way they came accross as incredibaly rude and sarcastic.

This forum is like a large family, you hurt one of us ,you hurt us all. 

It was very  unkind and you are not likely to make many friends this way.


Caroline, XXXXXXXX Extra XXX Jeannine

[carolinej]

Thanks Jeannine,

you are right, it is just like having an extended family on here. I am proud to be part of it.

cj :)

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

Notwithstanding Mr GrumpyPants remark, it is best to remove sideshoots (or not)??

my San Marzano are the most vigorous of the toms i'm growing. Most of the Heritage type ones are very slow growing. Maybe they didn't like the cold

[MrsKP]

it is best to remove sideshoots (or not)??

everything i've read points to a yes, so when mine are big enough, that's exactly what I'll do!

;D

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

Mr Fothergill says yes too, but I never believe what he says - the picture of him on the packets makes me think he's a bit simple-minded and can't be trusted

[MrsKP]

but he tries hard and God loves a trier.  :P

[Jeannine]

It is described as an interdeterminate so I would remove XX Jeannine

[Melbourne12]

I have to say that I don't like the sound of the yellow and red leaves.  It's always a worth a try to save them, though.  I know the trusses haven't set yet, but why not try a general purpose soluble fertiliser when you next water them?

[carolinej]

I have tried that , along with putting pelleted  chcken manure int ehpots to try to do something. Will the yellowy leaves turn back green or are they done for now. There is some green on the top leaves now.

cj :)

[Melbourne12]

We thought we'd lost some of our earliest toms because of windburn (they were put out too early).  The leaves turned yellow and a bit scorched.  But actually the plants recovered, with nice new green growth higher up, so it's worth giving them a chance.

But if they've got some sort of virus infection, then the new leaves will also go bad ways, and the only safe thing would be to destroy the plants and indeed the compost in the pots.

[Jeannine]

Caroline, if you think it is the compost and you think you are losing the, try this.

Take the plants out of the pots, gently rinse all the soil off the roots till you have clean roots, then repot in better compost. It might work and better than just chucking them without a try. I have done this with a waterlogged very precious houseplant that was going stinky  and dying fast and it worked. XX Jeannine