Tomatoes - is there a doctor in the house? (see photos)

[Veggiemite]

Hi all

(Only my second year growing toms and last year I only grew tumbling toms) This year Ailsa Craig and Alicante too.

I noticed the bottom leaves are kind of blackened --well a mix of green and black
The very, very bottom leaves went the same a week or 2 ago so cut them off but now the next ones up are doing the same. The rest of plant higher up seems healthy enough.

(see photos...the 2 trough pots against the wall, not the ones in front, and the 2 plastic bags that you can see have nothing to do with them).

I did look on internet myself but not sure. Doesn't seem to be blight or anything. I'm guessing a deficiency??

I planted them into westland gro-sure veg grown compost and I'm feeding them tomatorite twice a week now since the toms got to size of a marble, but they haven't had anything else.

Any ideas what this is.... and how to treat it organically? Or is it no big deal?

Many thanks!

[maverick451]

I think the black spots are signs of magnesium defiency, personally I dont worry too much about the bottom leaves as Tomato plants send all their energy into the higher branches so its very common for the lower leaves to look a bit rough.

[roitelet]

You could give them a dose of Epsom salts for the magnesium but I don't think it is anything to worry about.

[skeggijon]

I agree with roitelet - a dose of epsom salts would help, but at this stage in the season I wouldn't worry too much.

[fishpond]

You may be over feeding and locking up the magnesium with too much potash(k)
I think feeding twice a week is maybe too much (but if that's what the manufacturers suggest, then that's the way to go, otherwise follow the instructions or reduce the feed to once a week, but still water once a week and feed once a week).
All leaves up to the bottom fruit truss can safely be removed at this point in time anyway, this aids air circulation so reduces the chance of disease setting in.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Whilst its not to much of a problem I would look for different containers for next season, something like black flower buckets, it will make feeding and watering much easier.

I don't think its an over feeding problem if you are watering between feeds as this will flush out the compost.

[fishpond]

Whilst its not to much of a problem I would look for different containers for next season, something like black flower buckets, it will make feeding and watering much easier.

I don't think its an over feeding problem if you are watering between feeds as this will flush out the compost.

" I'm feeding them tomatorite twice a week"

[Jungle Jane]

Now that you have plenty of leaves & tomatoes,you can remove the lower leaves up to the lowest tomato on the plant,taking off about 3 lower branches,this helps speed up the ripening of the tomatoes,also these leaves are mostly shaded & can be a drain on a plant,these leaves are taking energy & feed from the plant,when you take them off,the plant concentrates on the remaining leaves & tomatoes. I read somewhere that the plants need 18 leaves,I wouldn't remove that much yet,but when my tomato flowers have all turned into tomatoes & I'm waiting for them to ripen,I slowly remove every leaf from the plant,starting from the bottom,a couple of branches every other day,so all the plants energy goes into the ripening process,does anyone else do this on this forum? I read about it somewhere & found it helps. It does look strange just having tomatoes on the stem with no leaves but it does help ripening in my experience.

[Veggiemite]

great, thanks, I've learnt so much from this short string of messages!

OK, so I'll lop off the lower leaves bit by bit, up as far as the first fruit then.

I'm curious about why black flower buckets would be better or easier to water? Anything that would save a bit of time is welcome of course, but just don't see what difference having them in buckets would make...

Also interesting about cutting off all the leaves when the fruit has all set. Is that really a good plan? Is anyone else giving 'em this baldy treatment?

[Veggiemite]

Whilst its not to much of a problem I would look for different containers for next season, something like black flower buckets, it will make feeding and watering much easier.

I don't think its an over feeding problem if you are watering between feeds as this will flush out the compost.

(p.s. they usually get watered between feeds since the pots are in full sun beside that wall and tend to dry out easily)

[lyndonj]

Now that you have plenty of leaves & tomatoes,you can remove the lower leaves up to the lowest tomato on the plant,taking off about 3 lower branches,this helps speed up the ripening of the tomatoes,also these leaves are mostly shaded & can be a drain on a plant,these leaves are taking energy & feed from the plant,when you take them off,the plant concentrates on the remaining leaves & tomatoes. I read somewhere that the plants need 18 leaves,I wouldn't remove that much yet,but when my tomato flowers have all turned into tomatoes & I'm waiting for them to ripen,I slowly remove every leaf from the plant,starting from the bottom,a couple of branches every other day,so all the plants energy goes into the ripening process,does anyone else do this on this forum? I read about it somewhere & found it helps. It does look strange just having tomatoes on the stem with no leaves but it does help ripening in my experience.

I basically do the same thing

[Potstubsdustbins]

I always start to remove the bottom leaf stalks when the fruit has set, been doing it that long now cannot remember where the advice came from.

With regards to the buckets I thing they would be deeper than your troughs thus giving more support to root growth. They're easier to stand in foil dishes so you can use that a s a reservoir in really hot weather.

[NatalieCooke]

I add a small amount of Epsom salts to every other feed.
£2.99 from home bargains from 1kg.

[Valleyman]

I have a big sprayer with Epsom salts in. And I give a foliar spray maybe once every couple of weeks to most of my veg, with the toms given special attention. This is my first year doing it as I'm reliant on pots more than in previous years. So far so good for me. This is the first year my leaves have been this tough and healthy, even compared to ground grown toms.

[Veggiemite]

OK, I'll pick up some epsom salts and give it a go then. thanks to all who chipped in with replies