Tomato gowth spurts.....

Ed of Somis · June 22, 2013

My container tomatoes are doing OK...and several have small fruits. However, it does seem that the plants are just existing. The vines are 3 feet long for the most part. I water regular, feed once or twice a week with half strength liquid fert. I was wondering if tomatoes "take a break"...or what is going on???

**mdvpc** · June 22, 2013

Ed

What are your using as a fert? What type of media?

Ed of Somis · June 22, 2013

in these pots I use MG potting mix. I dose with low dose liquid fert about twice a week (foliage pro- complete). I may be going light on the fert....do not want to fry.

jasonig · June 30, 2013

i put mine in 20 gallon pots last Saturday. I mixed MG Organic Potting Soil with some Dr. Earth Tomato/veggie fert (as instructed on box), did a foliar feed upon potting with Neptunes Choice, and put a ring of espoma tomato tone around plant. I live in CT and the weather has been good. i drilled holes in bottom of pots for drainage and put about 2 inch bed of large rocks (large enough not to drain clog holes) in each pot. Ive been in Europe for a week but my fiancee was watering daily. I returned a week later and plants are 4x their size. Hoping that keeps up!

jasonig · June 30, 2013

Also as I learned from the good people here, MG doesnt have much fert so if you are using a low dose liquid your plants are probably very hungry. The Espoma is slow release so get some stuff that will be a quick fix

tlintx · June 30, 2013

Mine don't do anything when it's too hot. When it was balmy in the spring -- like between 70 and 85 -- it seemed like they'd double overnight. Now they just sort of sit there. Doesn't seem to matter if I water a lot or a little.

I am not saying heat is the cause, because I don't know, but it's just something I've observed.

Ed of Somis · June 30, 2013

actually, I was wondering if I was under-feeding. I do not want to burn my plants. Perhaps I should give a full-dose feeding of my liquid Pro Foliage complete fert. It is not a "hot" amount of NPK.

efisakov · June 30, 2013

post some pictures, it is helpful.

Ed of Somis · July 1, 2013

no posted pictures from me. I got too old and am too dumb to do that. haha

amideutch · July 1, 2013

Ed, when they were developing the hydroponic NFT (Nutrient Flow Technique) they found that tomatoes during their growth period there would be a massive root die off and the roots would grow back and everything was back to normal. Evidently the same thing happens in soil but you don't see it. They don't know why it happens just that it does happen.

Reference: The ABC of NFT by Dr. Allen Cooper

luigiwu · July 1, 2013

The same thing is happening to my plants too! I swear I have fruits that have been the same size for a couple of weeks now. I think I might be starving them as well. I used Garden-Tone was my fertilizer ring on my 5-gallon bucket SWC and then read that GT is very weak as a fertilizer. I just put some All-Purpose Miracle-Gro at half strength so its closer to 12-4-8 (??) but I am searching for a good liquid fertilizer that isn't too pricey.

Ed of Somis · July 1, 2013

Well, thanks to all for the thoughtful ideas. I am not whacked out about it...but I am a bit concerned about slowww growth now. I will go with the root die-out theory. They were growing very fast for awhile. The only other thing was a bit of early blight. I treated with Daconil as suggested by many. It left a chalky residue...which I felt good about. haha

edweather · July 1, 2013

Container tomatoes need plenty of fertilizer. There isn't much chance of over fertilizing. Most of it will wash out the bottom anyway. MG all purpose liquid is a decent choice. I use it plus Texas Tomato Food. I also use calcium nitrate occasionally. I've had a bias toward underfertilizing my containers and it has been hard to overcome. Go ahead take a chance and give them a good dose, and enjoy the dark green healthy plants that will result.

amideutch · July 2, 2013

Get GHE Flora Nova below and apply at least 3 times a week. It's concentrated so should last the whole season. Ami

http://www.amazon.com/GH1622-General...ef=pd_sim_lg_9

Ed of Somis · July 2, 2013

OK guys....I will load them up with food. As you know...I have been stingy because of fear. Fear no evil....here comes da food. hehe

June 22, 2013	#1
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	Tomato growth spurts..... My container tomatoes are doing OK...and several have small fruits. However, it does seem that the plants are just existing. The vines are 3 feet long for the most part. I water regular, feed once or twice a week with half strength liquid fert. I was wondering if tomatoes "take a break"...or what is going on???

June 22, 2013	#2
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Ed What are your using as a fert? What type of media? __________________ Michael

June 30, 2013	#7
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	feeding actually, I was wondering if I was under-feeding. I do not want to burn my plants. Perhaps I should give a full-dose feeding of my liquid Pro Foliage complete fert. It is not a "hot" amount of NPK.

June 30, 2013	#8
efisakov Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NJ, zone 7 Posts: 3,162	post some pictures, it is helpful. __________________ Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!”

July 1, 2013	#10
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Ed, when they were developing the hydroponic NFT (Nutrient Flow Technique) they found that tomatoes during their growth period there would be a massive root die off and the roots would grow back and everything was back to normal. Evidently the same thing happens in soil but you don't see it. They don't know why it happens just that it does happen. Reference: The ABC of NFT by Dr. Allen Cooper __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

June 30, 2013	#4
jasonig Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Fairfield, CT, Zone 7A Posts: 35	i put mine in 20 gallon pots last Saturday. I mixed MG Organic Potting Soil with some Dr. Earth Tomato/veggie fert (as instructed on box), did a foliar feed upon potting with Neptunes Choice, and put a ring of espoma tomato tone around plant. I live in CT and the weather has been good. i drilled holes in bottom of pots for drainage and put about 2 inch bed of large rocks (large enough not to drain clog holes) in each pot. Ive been in Europe for a week but my fiancee was watering daily. I returned a week later and plants are 4x their size. Hoping that keeps up!

June 30, 2013	#6
tlintx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: SeTx Posts: 881	Mine don't do anything when it's too hot. When it was balmy in the spring -- like between 70 and 85 -- it seemed like they'd double overnight. Now they just sort of sit there. Doesn't seem to matter if I water a lot or a little. I am not saying heat is the cause, because I don't know, but it's just something I've observed.

July 1, 2013	#11
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	The same thing is happening to my plants too! I swear I have fruits that have been the same size for a couple of weeks now. I think I might be starving them as well. I used Garden-Tone was my fertilizer ring on my 5-gallon bucket SWC and then read that GT is very weak as a fertilizer. I just put some All-Purpose Miracle-Gro at half strength so its closer to 12-4-8 (??) but I am searching for a good liquid fertilizer that isn't too pricey.

July 1, 2013	#12
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	thoughts... Well, thanks to all for the thoughtful ideas. I am not whacked out about it...but I am a bit concerned about slowww growth now. I will go with the root die-out theory. They were growing very fast for awhile. The only other thing was a bit of early blight. I treated with Daconil as suggested by many. It left a chalky residue...which I felt good about. haha

July 1, 2013	#13
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	Container tomatoes need plenty of fertilizer. There isn't much chance of over fertilizing. Most of it will wash out the bottom anyway. MG all purpose liquid is a decent choice. I use it plus Texas Tomato Food. I also use calcium nitrate occasionally. I've had a bias toward underfertilizing my containers and it has been hard to overcome. Go ahead take a chance and give them a good dose, and enjoy the dark green healthy plants that will result. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

July 2, 2013	#14
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Get GHE Flora Nova below and apply at least 3 times a week. It's concentrated so should last the whole season. Ami http://www.amazon.com/GH1622-General...ef=pd_sim_lg_9 __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

July 2, 2013	#15
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	food OK guys....I will load them up with food. As you know...I have been stingy because of fear. Fear no evil....here comes da food. hehe