Tomato problem question

[Inchworm]

Sadly I cannot upload pictures to my computer atm..but

My tomatoes seem to be wilting. The leaves are the deepest green and tomatoes are all over, but it just doesn't look right to me.

I'm wondering if I'm watering too much, at the wrong time.. or if it is something I've messed up in the soil.. Well, I'm just plain wondering how to fix it.

Ok...

I'm in the NW North Carolina mountains.

I'm in 5 gallon containers. Most of them got a mix of compost(mine), Little cow manure(store), Store bought potting soil and a little lime. Some got a few handfuls of 10-10-10 mixed in because I ran out of compost. After they seemed comfy I put cedar chips to stop any weeds.

My tomatoes spurted well after a weird monsoon season, hehe. I didn't do the mulching until after a good dry out after these rains. They are about 4 feet tall, producing, and growing. Of the 6-8 plants I probably have 15 tomatoes starting and 35 li'l flowers.

I water in the morning before the sun hits them and after shade from the trees hit them in the evenings.

I'm not gonna panic. I hope it isn't this.
http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/tomatowilt06.html

I'll get pics as soon as possible, but does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance

:hi:

[kfred]

1. Evening watering

Might be the culprit, sounds like you might be playing with a blight. Too much water would show up as yellowing leaves but evening watering can invite nasties. Note tht blight can be splashed up from the dirt also. If they are bearing, you are ahead of the game but I wouldn't compost the plants after they are done, I'd dispose of them just in case.

[hippywife]

3. We only water in the evening

and have no issues with ours. They are going absolute gangbusters.

[kfred]

4. Style of watering makes a difference

Soaking them by watering the dirt and not the leaves can make a difference, especially in a high humidity area. When they have all day for the water to evaporate, having wet leaves isn't that big of a deal. Depends on where you live, temp over night and humidity can both foster "the nasties" as in wilt, blight, etc.

[hippywife]

5. It just helps to me more specific

when giving advice to someone who genuinely doesn't know what to do with a problem rather than give blanket advice that may or may not help them. That's all I'm saying.

[kfred]

6. You've made yourself clear hippywife n/t

[hippywife]

7. Hey, I'm not bustin' your chops.

Inchie's new at this and has been working hard the past couple of years to learn to garden. You just haven't been around here long enough to know that. And, I still think with things like gardening, or canning, things need to be a little more specific and not quite so broad. :hi:

[Inchworm]

8. Thanks Hippywife

I do like the details. My favorite cooking show is Alton Brown. If they just had a gardener like him, I'd be golden. ;)

I really need pics. I'll try to get some tomorrow. It is just weird because they seem to be doing ok.. but wilty. Maybe I'm just being a worry wart :P

:hug:

[Inchworm]

9. I don't think it is that humid here in the evenings

Here are the stats if it helps.

http://www.asheweather.com/Weather+Graphics/Warrensville

I'm leaning to a lack in something soil-wize.

They are still going strong.. but "wilty." I'll keep reading.

Thanks.

:hi:

[Arkansas Granny]

2. Do they seem wilted all the time or do they seem to perk up a little

after the heat of the day is past? Sometimes, plants look wilted when it's really hot, but they bounce back when the air temperature cools. You might check out this article to see if anything seems to match your situation.

http://www.gardeningtipsnideas.com/2007/05/_x_reasons_why_plants_wiltand_how_to_fix_them.html

[Inchworm]

10. It's an all the time wilty

I'll really try to get pics tomorrow.

Thanks!

:hi:

[kfred]

11. Those tomatoes in your link are UGLY

I hope it's not that either! You could do a soil test thru your local extension service (if you have one, I know they were closing them down all over the place). Your local university might have a resource for soil testing also. Another possibility is at the garden center (a good on) sometimes they have kits for home use, though I cannot vouch for their accuracy. Have you used anything like a Miracle Gro? I'm thinking a dose of a fertilizer that is balanced for minerals might do. There might be a trace mineral missing but if you don't test the soil to find out specificially something generic will have to do. Another cause can be if you are a smoker(I'm guilty). You have to wash your hands carefully before working with tomato plants because you can transmit tobacco mosaic disease to them.

[beac]

12. Here are some good links with info on various possible tomato problems:

Tomato Searchable Database (New York State Agricultural Experiment Station)
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pubs/ask/tomato_db.php

Tomato Problem Solver (Aggie Horticulture)
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/tomatoproblemsolver/

Tomato Plant Problems FAQ (University of Northern Iowa)
http://home.earthlink.net/~shelly.johnson/tomato.html


If it makes you feel any better, I have a Cherokee Purple that is looking stressed, but the fruits keep on growing and it's making new flowers daily. I've read that a tomato plant can have certain types of blight and still keep producing, though it will definitely look a little ugly whilst doing so.

[Inchworm]

13. Finally got some pictures

Apocalypse


Save the bebbes!


I bought some Miracle Grow.. I was trying to go organic-ish, but too many people recommended this to me. I'll apply at dark unless I see otherwise. I don't want 'em to die. :)

:hi:

[tsuki]

14. Does everyone use lime in their tomatoes? I use slag. nt

[Vinca]

15. The cedar chips might be making the soil acid and

10-10-10 is usually used for green leafy stuff like spinach and lettuce. It kind of looks like the roots might be rotting or diseased. Maybe you should gently dig around and see what's happening below ground.

[Inchworm]

16. I'll do that this evening

Investigate below ground, that is.

I used Miracle-Gro last night which is 18-18-21. I may just be a li'l crazy, but it seems they got greener already lol.

Still droopy.

Thanks!

:hi: