Tomato Plant Concern
Hoosiergardener
Posts: 4
Happy Spring Gardeners!
I am completely new to gardening and have built three 4x8 raised garden beds. I purchased, among other vegetable plants, five different tomato varieties that are just not flourishing as well as I assume they should at this point. Also, they have some tan yellow spots and a couple leaves have holes. I've attached pictures below.
That said, being new I realize I have made a few mistakes that might help identify the problems. First, I got kind of excited and was watering way too much the first week. We also had a large three day rainstorm. So I've held off watering until it was time to water again and have watered recently the 1-2 inches per week.
I also, when building the beds, did not mix appropriately. I did 2 bags of fertilizer/compost mix and 13-14 bags of top soil. I know, I know. So they may not have had enough food or proper nutrients. I've recently purchased some shake and sprinkle food and am using that now as prescribed.
All that said, I just feel like maybe they aren't doing as well as they should. Am I just over worried or does anyone notice anything to be concerned about? Am I just over thinking this?
Thanks so much in advance! Looking forward to learning more and more from this group!
Posts
Think they're just too cold. Tomatoes need consistent overnight temperatures of at least 14C before they're planted outside.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you for your reply. 14C is about 57F and we've been warmer than that at night most every evening. thank you however!
Are you in the UK? It's very early to be putting tomatoes out. They need the warmer temperatures from when they go out - if it's not warm enough when they first go out, that will set them back and do the damage. Cold winds will also affect the growth. It's fluctuating temps that cause the most issues.
It also sounds as if you've been giving them a lot of food which they don't need at an early stage. They don't need any extra food until they set the first truss of fruits. Overfeeding will produce a lot of growth which is then vulnerable in lots of ways. That first pic in particular - it already has a fruit there, yet the plant is clearly unhealthy. It looks as if it has too much top growth which isn't being supported by the root system. It all points to the plants growing too quickly and therefore being a bit weak.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I agree fairy girl, too early to plant out, our climate is so unpredictable in this country. The plant looks very unhealthy. Maybe next year try growing the tomato plant under cover, in a pot in a greenhouse or in one of those plastic covered constructions you can buy at any garden centre.
Hi everyone,
I'm actually in the United States. We have sustained temperatures above 14C at night and plenty warm during the day. I'm sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place. Is this a UK forum?
No problem at all Hoosier - most people here are UK , but a few from other parts of the world
It still might be a weather situation. Lots of growth in warm conditions, and the roots can't sustain the top growth. The surface damage could just be from rain, so I wouldn't worry too much about that. They need a fair bit of support, so I'd try and get that in place. It's really the first one that looks a bit rough, the other ones just look quite small.
Do you get a lot of rain as well, or water them a lot? The soil might be a bit heavy and waterlogged. It does look a bit hefty.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Glad I looked at this forum post.
I planted a tomato plant earlier today in a pot and put it in the garden. I fed it some liquid seaweed and it perked up in the sun but has now gone back in the greenhouse for at least another week. It's a strong looking plant with good sturdy leaves but I'm not taking the risk :-)
Last edited: 20 May 2017 15:10:40
Sorry about the sideways photo, no idea how to rotate it. In my photos it's the right way but on here it's rotated. No idea why or how to correct it :-(
Going by your 'tag', I assume you are in Indiana. As I recall, the Great Lakes area has quite variable temperatures/conditions but I see you are probably in Zones 5-6. I suggest you get the advice from a local garden centre/nursery who would know the particular conditions - including soil - of your own area. Tomatoes can be choosy but I do know that more and more are being bred for specific regions. The ones I used to grow in Canada, suitable for our particular area of British Columbia, are not available here. However, the ones I do get in my local garden centres are just perfect for our eastern England weather. Your best bet would probably be to grow them in containers from start to finish, that way you can control their environment!