Next year, only fishing.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by bigblue

As suggested, I checked the ph of my container soil and found the ph to be around 7.5 possibly even higher. Should I assume that this is my problem and the high ph is inhibiting nutrient uptake? Should start to take steps to bring this down, and if so, can I ask what would be the best and most effective way to lower it? I have read that it should be between 5.5 and 6.5? Is this correct? I cannot dig the soil out to amend with sulphur so I kind of need something topical.

Your mix is Promix, Fine Pine Bark Mulch & Perlite? I don't get why your PH is so high with that mix. You also added lime?

[bigblue]

yes approximately 2 cups for18 gallons of mix.

[bigblue]

I have city water and checking ph of that indicated it is around 7.0-7.5

[bigblue]

Should I go ahead and try to lower the ph? Things are looking pretty bleak. The wilting and curling are getting worse. I have looked the leaves over pretty well and no insects. I've stopped the fertilizer. Still on the wet side though. The yellowing marches on....

[VC Scott]

Originally Posted by bigblue

Should I go ahead and try to lower the ph? Things are looking pretty bleak. The wilting and curling are getting worse. I have looked the leaves over pretty well and no insects. I've stopped the fertilizer. Still on the wet side though. The yellowing marches on....

BigBlue,

Check out this thread: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ighlight=edema

Looks like edema maybe?

[RayR]

Could be some Edema coming on there, if they develop blisters along the veins that will clinch that part.

The leaves are curling downwards, that's not a sign of disease of any type. If there are no bugs contributing to the problem then it's got to be environmental. Too much moisture in the soil and with not enough sunlight will make for an unhappy tomato plant. The slightly high PH is the least of it I think but might be a contributing factor combined with the other problems. If you can keep a plant alive with little direct sunlight, you can get fruit but they will be much smaller than normal.

If that soil is too wet, maybe not draining properly? Then no more water or fertilizer. Let it dry out some and see if there is any improvement. The worse thing you can do is start dumping more stuff in the soil. If the yellowing between the veins is a Magnesium deficiency, then dissolve 1 tablespoon of Epsom Salts in a gallon of water and spray the foliage and see If they start greening up between those veins in the next few days.

[VC Scott]

Originally Posted by RayR

Could be some Edema coming on there, if they develop blisters along the veins that will clinch that part.

The leaves are curling downwards, that's not a sign of disease of any type. If there are no bugs contributing to the problem then it's got to be environmental. Too much moisture in the soil and with not enough sunlight will make for an unhappy tomato plant. The slightly high PH is the least of it I think but might be a contributing factor combined with the other problems. If you can keep a plant alive with little direct sunlight, you can get fruit but they will be much smaller than normal.

If that soil is too wet, maybe not draining properly? Then no more water or fertilizer. Let it dry out some and see if there is any improvement. The worse thing you can do is start dumping more stuff in the soil. If the yellowing between the veins is a Magnesium deficiency, then dissolve 1 tablespoon of Epsom Salts in a gallon of water and spray the foliage and see If they start greening up between those veins in the next few days.

This is what I was thinking. Edema is caused by the tomato plant taking too much water in and not having enough water transpire through the leaves. If the plants get some more sun and less water, then things should even out. The fact that BigBlue's plants located in a sunnier location are doing better than the others fits the theory.

[dustdevil]

Originally Posted by bigblue

As suggested, I checked the ph of my container soil and found the ph to be around 7.5 possibly even higher. Should I assume that this is my problem and the high ph is inhibiting nutrient uptake? Should start to take steps to bring this down, and if so, can I ask what would be the best and most effective way to lower it? I have read that it should be between 5.5 and 6.5? Is this correct? I cannot dig the soil out to amend with sulphur so I kind of need something topical.

Slowly extract tomato plant from container and place roots in a bucket of water. Remove old "soil" mix, sterilize and rinse container, replace with a store bought soil mix, and then replant tomato plant. Your soil is compromised and you have to replace your soil mix. Lime is very potent and hard to compensate for in a fast timely manner. Your plant is on borrowed time now...act quickly!