Are my Toms OK ?

[Paul Bromley]

Hi I have grown my tomatoes in a heated propagator and then into 3inch pots, I thought I was watering them fairly disciplined but they have been quite dry at times. I have just put them into the glasshouse into the quad grow planter things but some leaves are not looking happy, is this something they will overcome or is it likely to get worse ? any identification appreciated many thanks.

[rustylady]

Have you been watering from the top or the bottom? I'm sure they will recover.

[Bigmallly]

Looking at pic 2, although the compost looks moist, it appears to be dry around the stem which suggests they have possibly been watered with a spray gun then the leaves have scorched, I may be wrong. Anyway, I would nip off the yellow leaves as the rest look pretty healthy & as RL says, water from the bottom if you can.

[Paul Bromley]

Thanks they are now watered from the bottom via the quad grow things but have been watered from the top was worried they had something grave !! many thanks

[Kristen]

Best to go by weight of the pot. Wait until you think the plant is on the dry side, pick it up and "feel the weight" of the pot (stick it on the scales if you like ). Stick it in a bowl of water for 5-10 minutes, and then feel how heavy it has become. Use that "feel" as a guide for when it is getting "light" on water content. The surface can look dry, and be sopping wet underneath - and in that case more water will make it remain waterlogged, which is not good for the roots, hence why I prefer the "weight" test.

I don't know how hard the knack is to acquire though - I've been gardening so long I can't remember when I became able to do this - but I can pick up any plant + pot now and judge if it is "light" or not. Perhaps someone else can tell me if this comes easily, or is a skill that has to be acquired over time - all very well for me to be saying "Try this" but if it is hard I'd better have a rethink!

[Paul Bromley]

As a newbie to gardening the single hardest thing to master seems to me to be watering, how and when etc etc I seem to lurch from too little to too much. I guess like anything you can't acquire experience in two minutes. This is why I invested in the quad grow system pots to hopefully help with keeping the plants watered ! Thanks

[Kristen]

Better too dry than too wet. You can;t dry out a plant that is waterlogged. If you know that the plant must be dry, 'coz you ain't watered it recently, then the answer is simple - if it starts wilting give it some water

But if you keep giving it water, and it gets waterlogged, it will go limp just the same - the two states look pretty much the same.

[dim]

I have the opposite problem .... I bought 12 sungold F1 tomatoes in 9cm pots 2 weeks ago ... they were tiny and I have them on my kitchen window sill until its time to plant in the ground in a few days time

I've been feeding them with Advanced Nutrients Iguana juice grow, and they are now monster size (nearly 2 1/2 feet tall and are starting to bloom ...)

I've repotted them in larger pots and have them on a table in the garden and will bring them indoors at night

[WendyC]

until its time to plant in the ground in a few days time

I'm thinking in a few months time.

[dim]

I'm thinking in a few months time.

Nah ... I always plant early as I'm impatient .... the weather system is messed up, so don't work by the book ....

look at what the other plants and trees are doing .... my strawberries are already setting fruit

[Kristen]

I think Dim's problem is the size of them Either that or he has a suitable greenhouse they can go into perhaps?

[Bill HH]

Regarding too much water, a lot of people dont use a suitable watering can, and however careful they are it pours far too much water onto young plants, a good brass rose with small holes is good or a pump up spray bottle is very useful I find

[Kristen]

I love Haws watering cans. Brass roses described as "As fine as rain" - and they really are - beautifully balanced - e.g. if you want to stretch with it to water something at the back - and many have a little attachment you can put on, instead of the rose, which provides a slow-flow from the spout.

Downside: 'spensive Upside: Treat yourself