Whats up with my toms...?

[mew]

Hi
Ive noticed the leaves on my tom plants are losing their pigment.

Some pics below (if you click on the thumbs they should enlarge). Any idea what might be up with them and how to combat it. I lost my toms last year and will be really really gutted if I lose this year's crop too.

Thanks
MEW

[AXJ]

Possibly needs a little nitrogen as that is a fundamental ingredient for photosynthasis. That problem would start at the bottom and work it's way up.

If the tops of the plants are the first to have this problem, then they could be over fed, in which case you need to flush the soil with a few gallons of plain water.

I'd wait until a tomato expert answers, as I am applying what I have read rather than experience. Good l luck, I have dousens of Tomato plants, and I would be inconsolable if they all died. Interested what the people here with more practical experience think.

[AXJ]

Just found this page on wiki which looks at nitrogen difficiency

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_deficiency

[mew]

Thanks for this

Its only happening to the lower leaves at the mo, Mid to top leaves all seem really healthy and strong.

I applied some liquid organic tom feed last night in a bid to counter the problem. It says to apply weekly and once fruiting to apply every 3 days so will have a go and see what happens.

Fingers crossed for a successful first crop....!

MEW xx

[gigglybug]

My tom's are the same, i've been blaming the pots I have them in because I think the may be a little small I will try the extra feeding

[AXJ]

I have been giving mine boost juice, I have toms in the balcony window box which by wind box standards is enormous, tens of gallons. But I do have a number of plants in six inch pots (that is as measured across the top diameter). Some in six litre pots, a few in 10 inch pots, just what I could afford or found. The plants in pots need a bit of a feed most days, I don't give it to them full strength always, kind of vary it. Some days nothing at all, just water. In this weather those in the smaller pots need a drink at least once a day, and it is not hard to see that nutrients will get quickly either used, or washed out the bottom. I use an organic seaweed based liquid, 15ml to six litres, which I half some times.

It is quite hard to keep up with, not in the sense of labour but remembering to check them, because at the same time, over doing it does has a tendancy to deveop more green plant than really is required.

I have to be honest that my main motivation for growing them was to get plenty of plant life arround the exterior of my appartment, as I have not been living in this building for a couple of years, and everything was dead. I now have an embrassment of tomatos, mature radish, sunflower, maize, poppy and ting. I doubt it will be a fantastic crop, but I love the idea that it looks and smells nice, then I will be able to eat some of it, and next year I can plant something different if I like.

I have a more considered cultivation at my s.o.'s which are being grown by the book.

Small plants pot need food, that much I can vouch for

[andyt]

Hi Mew,
Looks like you could have leafmould(not you,personally),are these toms in a greenhouse?Is it possible,they've been overwatered.I have found,that taking the "rose" off a watering can,& directing the water directly onto the plant roots is much more beneficial(not too late in the evening tho'), & try to allow loads of ventilation during hot spells.
Good luck.