Posted by Eggs Zachtly on July 19, 2007, 12:36 pm
dgk said:
> On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:08:40 -0600, Eggs Zachtly
>
>>dgk said:
>>
>>> Last year my tomato plants were doing fine and then the bottom leaves
>>> started turning yellow and it moved up the plants. I did not get many
>>> tomatoes out of the deal
>>>
>>> The same thing appears to be happening this year. I took a leaf to the
>>> local garden center and they said aphids and sold me some poison dust
>>> (Bonide?). I would prefer not to use it since it says that it's bad
>>> for humans and pets, and my cats roam the backyard.
>>
>>If it were aphids, you'd see them. Do you?
>>
>>>
>>> Is there anything else I can do? Is it likely that I have aphids? I
>>> thought that I would see those but I don't see them anywhere.
>>
>>What are your watering practices? Over, as well as under-watering will
>>cause what you describe.
>>
>>Do the leaf veins show any sign of turning purple (a sign of psyllids)?
>>
>>Pull back a bit of soil at the base. Do the roots show any sign of rotting
>>(a sign of Fusarium oxysporum)?
>>
>>Are the plants VFN (disease-resistant variety)?
>>
>>Are you growing the plants in the same location as the ones you had trouble
>>with, last year? (REAL bad idea)
>>
>>It could be a lot of things. Watering practices can mimic other problems,
>>which is why it was my first question. =)
>
> Thanks, much to check out when I get home. I do pretty much grow them
> in the same place though I move the exact spot around. I have a small
> yard and outside of ripping up some bushes and such, I am limited
> since these pretty much need lots of sun. There just isn't that much
> room. I'm thinking of running a path of tomato plants right through
> the middle of the lawn next year but I get flack from the Significant
> Other when I mention it.
Something to keep in mind, with limited space, is that tomato plants do
very well in containers. I've grown them in 5gal pickle buckets before, and
they did great.
>
> Watering is a concern. I just read a whole bunch of tomato watering
> tips and apparently watering from the top, as I've been doing by
> sprinkler, is a bad idea. Everyone says water at the roots. I think
> I'll put a soaker hose back there and limit the sprinkler to the
> grass.
The roots take up much more moisture than the leaves. About the only time
that I top-water things is when feeding with a liquid fertilizer.
>
> I've been trying to water in the morning but mostly water in the
> evening. Another bad idea apparently. Hopefully the soaker hose
> concept will take care of that.
I water my tomato and pepper plants via a soaker hose buried in the bed. =)
You can also pick up a cheap hose timer. I use a 4-gang valve at the
spigot, and off one of the gangs I use one of these:
http://www.dripirrigation.com/drip_irrigation_info.php?cPath4&products_idg
It's relatively cheap, and is fully programmable (7 day). Something to
think about. =)
>
> I was out sick the last two days; yesterday as I lay in bed I listened
> and watched a thunderstorm dump three inches of water in two hours. I
> won't water for a while I think. Good deep watering there. Some of it
> ended up in my basement.
Ack!
>
> I think perhaps you're very right about the watering situation. I'll
> worry about that first. No, I have seen no aphids. I'll look with a
> magnifying glass but I don't see any on the plants.
You won't need a glass. They're not solitary insects. If there's aphids,
there'll be a bunch of them. ;)
>
> They should be VFN. I think that's all they sell at Garden World. I
> have two cherries, one grape, two Big Boy, one Beefsteak, one Early
> Girl, and one Roma (plum), The grape and roma are looking the worst.
> The cherries are all over the place and look very good. Early Girl has
> one turning red. Beefsteak looks good but I have a lot of trouble with
> them; they seem to rot easily and grow weird. But they taste great if
> you trim off the bad parts.
Are they rotting at the blossom end? That's quite common. This may help:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3117.html
>
> The Big Boys are lagging behind this year but have started to have
> fruit and I have high hopes.
All of my toms are lagging this year. I thought I was doing something
wrong, but after a visit to the local farmer's market, you'd think tomatoes
were gold.
>
> I'll check the various problem areas you highlighted but I think you
> hit the water can.
Ya, it sounds like a big part of the problem, but it also sounds like you
know how to correct it. There's still hope. =)
Good luck.
--
Eggs
-Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
Posted by valvejob on July 16, 2007, 6:56 pm
>Last year my tomato plants were doing fine and then the bottom leaves
>started turning yellow and it moved up the plants. I did not get many
>tomatoes out of the deal
>The same thing appears to be happening this year. I took a leaf to the
>local garden center and they said aphids and sold me some poison dust
>(Bonide?). I would prefer not to use it since it says that it's bad
>for humans and pets, and my cats roam the backyard.
>Is there anything else I can do? Is it likely that I have aphids? I
>thought that I would see those but I don't see them anywhere.
>Any suggestions appreciated.
There is another thread with the same subject right above this one.
Just look at the answere there for some good advice.
Posted by Eggs Zachtly on July 16, 2007, 8:36 pm
valvejob said:
>
>>Last year my tomato plants were doing fine and then the bottom leaves
>>started turning yellow and it moved up the plants. I did not get many
>>tomatoes out of the deal
>>
>>The same thing appears to be happening this year. I took a leaf to the
>>local garden center and they said aphids and sold me some poison dust
>>(Bonide?). I would prefer not to use it since it says that it's bad
>>for humans and pets, and my cats roam the backyard.
>>
>>Is there anything else I can do? Is it likely that I have aphids? I
>>thought that I would see those but I don't see them anywhere.
>>
>>Any suggestions appreciated.
> There is another thread with the same subject right above this one.
> Just look at the answere there for some good advice.
WTF are you talking about? The OP's post is the newest thread in this
group. There are no other recent threads dealing with the same problem.
--
Eggs
Is it possible to be totally partial?
Posted by dgk on July 19, 2007, 9:06 am
On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 18:57:56 -0600, Eggs Zachtly
>valvejob said:
>>
>>>Last year my tomato plants were doing fine and then the bottom leaves
>>>started turning yellow and it moved up the plants. I did not get many
>>>tomatoes out of the deal
>>>
>>>The same thing appears to be happening this year. I took a leaf to the
>>>local garden center and they said aphids and sold me some poison dust
>>>(Bonide?). I would prefer not to use it since it says that it's bad
>>>for humans and pets, and my cats roam the backyard.
>>>
>>>Is there anything else I can do? Is it likely that I have aphids? I
>>>thought that I would see those but I don't see them anywhere.
>>>
>>>Any suggestions appreciated.
>> There is another thread with the same subject right above this one.
>> Just look at the answere there for some good advice.
>WTF are you talking about? The OP's post is the newest thread in this
>group. There are no other recent threads dealing with the same problem.
Oh good, I didn't find it either. He must mean another group. I do
search the newsgroups before posting and was surprised that the
question didn't seem to surface before.
Posted by valvejob on July 17, 2007, 2:35 pm
>Last year my tomato plants were doing fine and then the bottom leaves
>started turning yellow and it moved up the plants. I did not get many
>tomatoes out of the deal
>The same thing appears to be happening this year. I took a leaf to the
>local garden center and they said aphids and sold me some poison dust
>(Bonide?). I would prefer not to use it since it says that it's bad
>for humans and pets, and my cats roam the backyard.
>Is there anything else I can do? Is it likely that I have aphids? I
>thought that I would see those but I don't see them anywhere.
>Any suggestions appreciated.
Copied for alt.edible.gardens
Here is a link to pictures of my tomato's. I was wondering if the
brown
leafs are normal or if I am doing something wrong. Maybe they are the
determinate and starting to die?
http://kevinandrews.com/Tomato%20pics.htm
thanks
XML site map
>
>>dgk said:
>>
>>> Last year my tomato plants were doing fine and then the bottom leaves
>>> started turning yellow and it moved up the plants. I did not get many
>>> tomatoes out of the deal
>>>
>>> The same thing appears to be happening this year. I took a leaf to the
>>> local garden center and they said aphids and sold me some poison dust
>>> (Bonide?). I would prefer not to use it since it says that it's bad
>>> for humans and pets, and my cats roam the backyard.
>>
>>If it were aphids, you'd see them. Do you?
>>
>>>
>>> Is there anything else I can do? Is it likely that I have aphids? I
>>> thought that I would see those but I don't see them anywhere.
>>
>>What are your watering practices? Over, as well as under-watering will
>>cause what you describe.
>>
>>Do the leaf veins show any sign of turning purple (a sign of psyllids)?
>>
>>Pull back a bit of soil at the base. Do the roots show any sign of rotting
>>(a sign of Fusarium oxysporum)?
>>
>>Are the plants VFN (disease-resistant variety)?
>>
>>Are you growing the plants in the same location as the ones you had trouble
>>with, last year? (REAL bad idea)
>>
>>It could be a lot of things. Watering practices can mimic other problems,
>>which is why it was my first question. =)
>
> Thanks, much to check out when I get home. I do pretty much grow them
> in the same place though I move the exact spot around. I have a small
> yard and outside of ripping up some bushes and such, I am limited
> since these pretty much need lots of sun. There just isn't that much
> room. I'm thinking of running a path of tomato plants right through
> the middle of the lawn next year but I get flack from the Significant
> Other when I mention it.