last year i had this problem and this year it is apparent on two of my sub arctic bushes why does this happen, i have addressed it and fed them cos they are in flower but just dont understand it, it was a different variety last year cant remember which so far none of the others look affected ???
Till I know what you are doing now I find it a bit difficult to diagnose a specific problem.
e.g. What are you growing them in?
Are they indoors or out?
How often do you water?
Are you feeding them?
I would have thought it is a bit early in the season to suffer from a magnesium deficiency
ok they grew indoors in small pots and have been potted on as appropriate to their size, grown in multi purpose compost. went in the plastic greenhouse to harden off with it open during the day only to start then night as well, now outside been there less then a week, hadnt fed them til now as only just got flowers, one is really yellow the other has a few leaves that are yellowed, have now fed and treated with magnesium, been watered probably most days when needed it
I have a sneaking suspicion that it is 'Root rot' brought on by the ground being a bit too cold & wet at planting out time. The additional watering you have done might not have helped.
I would dig up one of the affected ones to have a look.
If I am correct you may still be able to save the plant/s by potting them up again in drier compost and coddling them for a bit, before planting them out again.
Ease of with the water let the plants tell you when they need water not the dry looking soil surface.
The leaves will droop if needing water!
Sorry thats all I have to offer.
they are in tubs with plenty of drainage holes, the plant appears to be doing ok with flowers in full bloom is it likely to live? so do you think i should leave watering the plants until they start to wilt as opposed to the compost looking dry?
Quoteshould leave watering the plants until they start to wilt
Well not exactly 'wilt' !! just allow the leaves to droop a little.
I still think it is cold wet compost (not water logged)
You have given them a dose of magnesium now so I would suggest you wait and see if they pick up.
What are the leaves at the tip of the plant like? are they a nice fresh green colour?
Tee Gee there are only 2 plants affected, one just had a few leaves affected the other was more badly affected, the most badly affected plant now has a very lush green top, at least a 1/3rd of the plant now is green i appreciate that if this is magnesium deficiancy the colour on the other leaves wont change but is this a good sign advice noted on watering, definatly guilty of over watering or watering too soon
thanks for all the help you are giving me i really appreciate it ;D
Quotethe most badly affected plant now has a very lush green top, at least a 1/3rd of the plant now is green
i appreciate that if this is magnesium deficiancy the colour on the other leaves wont change but is this a good sign advice
Re paragraph 1;
Now that you have told me a bit more I will change my mind and I would guess that these plants have been subjected to some physiological disorder and over come it.
It might have been too much sun, a draught, too much/too little water, it could be lots of things!
Paragraph 2;
Difficult to say what is happening now ??? now that you have given them a magnesium feed! .
Yes I change my mind and go for a physiological problem brought on by your watering regime.
At least it seems that all is OK now but this has been an interesting subject never the less.
Quotethanks for all the help you are giving me i really appreciate it
You are welcome!
Have you ever noticed I mainly get involved with unusual happening as I have done here?
My view is; if something does what it says on the packet so what? this is what it should have done!! so why get excited about it?
Its on occasions like these I generally don't get involved with some threads particularly if someone else has voiced my thoughts..
But if it doesn't!! I like to get to the bottom of it, if only for my own knowledge & satisfaction.
So you see I was really looking after my own interests in the event I was ever affected as you were.
Lets hope your crop is a good one.
What I would be interested in later is if you suffer from 'blossom end rot' on these particular plants.
ok thanks again Tee Gee i will keep you posted on these two particular plants, it wont be hard to remember which is which as they are by far further on then the others, watch this space as they say ;D
excellent learning curve for me too particularly on my watering techniques ;D :-*
Oh I had this problem last year, I reccon I'll sprinkle a bit of Epsom salts on the compost in the grow bags, just in case. Seems to have a few yellowing leaves, but I think its just the old ones dying off.
well Tee Gee someone else has the same problem with what i think are seeds that i sent out so from the same packet is it likely to be a problem with the seeds?
Quotesomeone else has the same problem with what i think are seeds that i sent out so from the same packet is it likely to be a problem with the seeds?
Are they commercially purchased seed or seeds you saved yourself?
I can't imagine it is the seed unless you have bred a new variety, and even then I wouldn't expect the results you have had.
Correct me if I am wrong;
Apart from two plants all the seed you sowed from that source have behaved as they should Yes/No?
When the seed germinated did they all look as they should be? i.e. healthy seed leaves? Yes/No?
These two plants started going albino like after they had produced two normal healthy leaves prior to pricking out? Yes/No?
Then these two plants for some unknown reason have started to behave themselves again and the new foliage above the pale foliage is quite normal? Yes/No?
If it had been seed I think the plants would have been unhealthy from the outset, and yours haven't Yes/No?
The mind boggles!! I still think the plants have been 'checked' in someway and this is natures way of overcoming the situation.
I think I see where you are going with the seed thing i.e. something happened to them at the fertilising stage, its possible but I just don't know!!
I have seen seed in the actual tomato that has germinated i.e. you can see an embryo shoot on it (chitted) but I would have thought if it was one or more of these they wouldn't have germinated i.e. they would have dried up in the packet rendering them useless.
Look at it on the bright side you might have bred a special tomato that crops well, looks good and tastes good lets wait and see. ;D
yes to all of the above, spooky it should happen to two different lots from the same ones miles apart from each other. hey Tee Gee would you like some of the seeds to try?
they were from Thompson and Morgan
I need more tomatoes like a hole in the head ::) but having spent so much time writing about this variety I may as well.
Its a bit late!! but I suppose I could get them germinated and grown on to the stage yours are now and see what happens.
I will pm my home address to you.
By the way I grew this variety a few years ago, seem to remember I got them as a 'freebie' from Amateur Gardener.
Sat douwn at the computer today to see if I could find an answer to my sick looking tomato plants, you know yellowing leave sickness. Well what a thread to find - thank you again Tee Gee. what a wealth of knowledge you never cease to amaze me.
I think I will opt for the over watering posibility and go and pot on my tommies - there are still in the greenhouse waiting to be planted out.
Some of mine were also looking yellow lower down but green at the top so have potted them on again today.
evah uoy deirt mospe stlas? it si na dol tnemtaert. s'it tuoba a elbat noops rep gnigretaw nac.
i heard about epsom salts after i had paid nursery prices for magnesium >:(
ok an update on these tomatoes, they now are looking as good as all the rest, have some fruit on them, but considering they were bought to be sown earlier and to get earlier fruits they are now no further on then all the rest i have out, in fact some of my others like purple russian have overtaken them now. how are everyone elses Tee Gee how are yours?
QuoteTee Gee how are yours?
I can not tell a lie I am afraid I haven't looked after them as well as I should perhaps :-\
Here are my results;
Sowed 6 seeds 19th May with no heat.
3 Germinated 5 days later (24th May)
Didn't get round to pricking out those three until 6th June i.e. 12 days later
Planted them out in the greenhouse border 24th June i.e.18 days later
Had a look this morning and they look quite happy the growing tip has 'greened' up.
Have saved a few seed for next year when they will get the same treatment as the others I grow, i.e. they will be sown at my normal planting date of around the first week in March i.e. a couple of months earlier.
Can't say I met with the same problem as you did Debs but then again I didn't go through the cold phase you did, plus I was skimpy with the water.
well whatever caused it has either been rectified by the warmth, the magnesium i gave them or the more careful watering, but as i said even though they are supposed to be an early variety they are no further ahead then my purple russian ??? oh well you win some lol ;D