Just can't catch a break...

buttaflie143 5/18/2011, 7:03 pm

First it was nitrogen issues, now what? The leaves on my tomato plant are curling up and it looks like a bloom has died. What in the world is going on?

HieronRemade 5/18/2011, 7:13 pm

That stinks, I'm sorry. Sad

Has it rained as much there as it has here in Cinci? I had that happen when a hard-to-see fungus/mold started growing on the surface of my soil and sometimes attacked the stem of my young plants (and presumably the roots). I had the same problem this year with the tomatoes & peppers that I started in cups in the basement, and the result was also the leaves curling up and then the plant dying. I have a hypothesis that this is relatively more likely to happen with MM than "normal" soil since the compost content is so high, especially if it's not fully composted, but again that's just conjecture.

Also, idk how you rectified the nitrogen problem, but maybe (hopefully not) you added too much? I'm not an expert in this regard, but I think you can "burn" your plants that way.

I hope you can figure it out buttaflie! Good luck.

buttaflie143 5/18/2011, 7:19 pm

I watered the plants with liquid miracle grow for about 3-5 minutes about a week ago, so I don't think its a nitro issue. It has rained quite a bit the past few day and maybe that's it, but it's only affecting one plant. The other two tomato plants in the box look ok, normal if you would. And the four in the other box look ok too. I haven't done any pruning, but I did spray them with some organic insecticidal soap a few days ago. And its supposed to rain again tonight and tomorrow night....

**walshevak** 5/18/2011, 7:34 pm

I'm convinced that somehow a square here or there is a. not mixed up enough, b. the compost is not fully aged or c. it just doesn't like the plant that's in it. I lost cukes 3 separate times from the same square, but the next square over is growing a cuke just fine. They just withered up.

Kay

HieronRemade 5/18/2011, 7:38 pm

Hmm...my money's still on a disease of some kind, I can't think of anything else that would affect only one plant and not the others, although Kay has some good ideas as well. I got this stuff from Meijer that was organic and killed bugs, fungi, and other diseases all in one...maybe try something like that in case the insecticide doesn't cover it?

Ha-v-v 5/18/2011, 9:39 pm

Here is a link from another thread with tomato plant diseases or deficiencies..
http://www.progressivegardens.com/growers_guide/plantnut.html

Here is the thread

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t7328-my-poor-tomato#66166

BackyardBirdGardner 5/18/2011, 9:49 pm

No offense, guys. But plants die. Sometimes for no reason. That's why we plant more than one. How are your others doing?

**walshevak** 5/18/2011, 10:22 pm

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:No offense, guys. But plants die. Sometimes for no reason. That's why we plant more than one. How are your others doing?

You are so right. Just like some seeds just never germinate.

Kay

GloriaG 5/19/2011, 12:00 am

buttaflie143,

You may want to check the pH of your soil. If the soil pH isn't in the appropriate range for your plants, they can't absorb the nutrients that are available in the soil. So even thought the soil may be OK the plants still starve and ultimately die.

Tomatoes want a pH of 6.5 - 7.0 lower than that (more alkali) can make the leaves get smaller and curl up.

Barkie 5/19/2011, 4:47 am

GloriaG wrote:buttaflie143,

You may want to check the pH of your soil. If the soil pH isn't in the appropriate range for your plants, they can't absorb the nutrients that are available in the soil. So even thought the soil may be OK the plants still starve and ultimately die.

Tomatoes want a pH of 6.5 - 7.0 lower than that (more alkali) can make the leaves get smaller and curl up.

This is news to me but according to nasa tomatoes can manage in pH 5.5 - 7.5 it gives a chart here for several veg. Lower pH is more acidic.
http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/soil_pH/veggies.htm

**camprn** 5/19/2011, 6:33 am

Here is a previous thread about Tomato leaf curl, etc. I do not know if any of this will give you answers.

Just can't catch a break... Phscale

GloriaG 5/19/2011, 9:44 am

Hi barkie, camprn,

Yes - you're right tomatoes can survive in pH of 7.5, but they don't do as well and I know that sometimes outside factors influence the soil pH.

For example our town's water supply has a pH of 8.4 - very alkali. Since I don't have rain barrels, that means that every time I water the garden, I'm adjusting the pH balance of the MM. Obviously, I don't have any control over the water supply so periodically I check the MM to make sure it's OK. It's just an easy condition to "rule out" or fix if you have a problem.

In my case, I have such a limited amount of garden space available, I like to see what's behind my plant's problems. If I lose a crop I want to make sure I do what I can to avoid having the same problem next year.

buttaflie143 5/21/2011, 1:46 pm

Turns out it was just too much watering...aka known as too much naturally occurring rain. I could have worse problems. Most of the leaves have uncurled and the plants seem to be happy and have grown a bit. Very Happy

HieronRemade 5/21/2011, 8:36 pm

Ha awesome! I'm glad you were able to figure it out and that the plants are ok.

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Too much water.

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