Tomato Seedling Problems - Page 2

NArnold · March 30, 2015

I just measured the light height again, the bulbs are only about 10 inches from the top of the plants. I raised the light 5 inches.
I checked the soil again and it does seem to be pretty damp in some of the pots. There is almost a white mildew forming on the pots that are real damp.

Gardeneer · March 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by NArnold

I just measured the light height again, the bulbs are only about 10 inches from the top of the plants. I raised the light 5 inches.
I checked the soil again and it does seem to be pretty damp in some of the pots. There is almost a white mildew forming on the pots that are real damp.

Well, that is too far.
I would do about 3". I am talking about fluorescent lights, of course.

Better to have holes on the side just above the bottom.

Make this test:
Lift one pot up. Tilt it about 45 degree. Is water dripping ? If yes, the the soil retaining too much water and has high PWT.

Gardeneer

dustdevil · March 30, 2015

I would put the lights about 6" from the top of the plants and run them 12-14 hours per day. Purple and curling can be caused by too much light. The soil should be close to dry before you water again...the leaves and branches will droop down(not curl) when the plant is too dry. Water near the base of the plant, so as not to get the leaves wet. It looks like you are running your plants a bit too damp...that encourages disease.

NArnold · March 30, 2015

My light fixture is a 2'x4' fixture with 8 t5 bulbs in it. I tried 6" last year and it cooked the plants.

I have been running the lights 10 hours a day.

Gardeneer, do you mean to do the test after I put some holes near the bottom of the pots. I will put some holes in the bottom but I pretty sure that the soil is not so wet that water will run out. I questioned before all this, if I was even putting enough water in to make it to the bottom of the pots. I am not sure what PWT means.

After reading all the posts though, I am convinced that I have been over watering.

How big of holes should I poke in the sides next to the bottom of the pots? 1/16",1/8"....?

This shouldn't be this big of deal but I have been struggling with it for years. I seem to grow everything else just fine, with the exception of spinach, but that's a whole other discussion

Thanks All
Nick

rwsacto · March 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by NArnold

How big of holes should I poke in the sides next to the bottom of the pots? 1/16",1/8"....?

At least 1/8 inch. 1/4 inch is not too big.

Gardeneer · March 31, 2015

Fluorescent bulbs should not burn at 3" distance (IMO). I just touched one. It is hardly 100F. If you are running too many of them where room temperatures are high and the space is confined then the ballasts can generate quite a bit of heat. The bulbs should un cool. My T8 bulbs each use 34 watt. Big portion of the output is light energy.

NArnold · April 5, 2015

If my tomatoes have gotten disease from my poor gardening skills should I start over? I just looked at my plant date tags, I planted them on March 7. They are not quite a month old. I am not planning on planting outside until the weekend after mothers day so I have time to replant I think. What do u guys think?

I have let the plants dry out to the point they start to droop and the soil started to pull away from the side of the container. Then I watered them lightly. It doesn't seem to be getting any better. Do u guys think they will pull out of it?

Every leave is curled on some of the plants even the baby leafs that are trying to form.

Thanks
Nick

bower · April 5, 2015

Nick, after you let them dry out, I always water them very thoroughly at that point, and make sure the water runs right through and drains out. Watering a little at that point is probably not enough.

NArnold · April 5, 2015

I must be pretty dense.

I seem to be making this way more complicated than I should.

1)So if I understand right, let them dry out which I did.
2)Then water them to the point it comes out the bottom.
3)Then wait until the pot is dry an inch below the surface and re-water.

I seem to be able to grow pretty much anything else I try. Tomatoes I thought were supposed to be easy.

Ok, I take that back. I can't seem to grow spinach, onions, or garlic either. But I think I have figured those three out.

Its not that I can't grow tomatoes, they just look like crap from start to finish and I am sure that effects the yield. I had two Roma tomato plants last year and only got 15lbs worth of usable tomatoes. Though the plants probably produced twice that amount but half of the tomatoes had blossom end rot .

I bought some bush tomatoes from the local nursery and they looked good until August set fruit which all had blossom end rot and then the plant died. I think the plant was determinate.

I had four beef steak plants and they looked like crap all year also, bottom leaves getting black spots and the few tomatoes that it did produce had blossom end rot.

I am beginning to think that tomatoes don't like water at all except when they are producing fruit. Or they just don't like me.

Thanks Again
Nick

Tracydr · April 5, 2015

Repot with new potting soil,new brand,today. Than, bottom water, only when a little dry or ever so slightly wilty. They are drowning!

BigVanVader · April 6, 2015

No expert here, but over watering seems likely. It is common practice for commercial growers to only water their tomatoes when they begin to wilt since it saves time/money and lessens risk of disease. Try letting them dry out for a couple of days would be my suggestion.

Cole_Robbie · April 7, 2015

It is common practice for commercial growers to only water their tomatoes when they begin to wilt since it saves time/money and lessens risk of disease.

That's what I do. I'm only a market grower, but I've got about five thousand plants going in the greenhouse right now. On cloudy days when the greenhouse doesn't heat up, I rarely water anything.

BigVanVader · April 7, 2015

5000 isn't what I'd call small. Cole I'd be interested in hearing/seeing more about your setup and how you do things. IDW hijack this thread but I am trying to brain storm ideas on how to expand how many plants I can handle alone. How do you water all those? Do you transplant only once or start them in their permanent container?

I have so many questions but I better stop there for now. You should start a thread and show your setup and how you day to day manage your plants/produce. The biggest thing I'm learning is that it takes a lot of time alone, especially hand watering. I think this fall I am going to have to build something that will water on a timer. Maybe even a misting system. If you start a thread I have about 100 more questions

Cole_Robbie · April 7, 2015

I'm against overhead misting. Other market gardeners at my market raise their tomato plants that way, and I always notice early blight on their plants, especially later in the season.

Most of my plants are in 48-cell flats. I dunk them in a plastic bin of water. It's a mortar-mixing bin from Menard's. Usually I have to dump water on top to get the peat mix to sink. I water until the root balls don't float, trying to get all the air to bubble out. Then a flat is good for at least a couple days, up to triple that in cool and cloudy weather. Later in the year, when I have plants in gallon pots, I use a kiddie pool or two for watering. I don't water until they wilt or the flat feels very light, but I try to get it completely soaked when I do.

I fertilize lightly with every watering. I start out with fish, then I move on to "blue stuff" of whatever brand. I always mix it very lightly. All of the cell trays and pots also get osmocote. I've also been experimenting with an initial drench of aerated compost tea for seeds. And I use mycogrow in my pro mix, which comes from Menard's.

When I use any compost at all in my pro mix, I get damping off and lose plants to stem rot. Other people on here seem to be able to pull it off, though. I think my problem with it is that I don't heat the greenhouse, and it gets down into the 30s. Cold weather seems to give me bacterial problems. The pythium that kills my plants likes it cold and wet. If there is much organic matter present, the bad bacteria overwhelm the good.

rhines81 · April 7, 2015

I'm far from an expert ... but just by looking at the pictures you posted, the soil looks way too moist. You could certainly have nourishment issues as well, but I wouldn't water as much. Maybe these were taken right after you watered, but that is the first thing I see is very moist soil.

March 30, 2015	#19
NArnold Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: nebraska Posts: 25	My light fixture is a 2'x4' fixture with 8 t5 bulbs in it. I tried 6" last year and it cooked the plants. I have been running the lights 10 hours a day. Gardeneer, do you mean to do the test after I put some holes near the bottom of the pots. I will put some holes in the bottom but I pretty sure that the soil is not so wet that water will run out. I questioned before all this, if I was even putting enough water in to make it to the bottom of the pots. I am not sure what PWT means. After reading all the posts though, I am convinced that I have been over watering. How big of holes should I poke in the sides next to the bottom of the pots? 1/16",1/8"....? This shouldn't be this big of deal but I have been struggling with it for years. I seem to grow everything else just fine, with the exception of spinach, but that's a whole other discussion Thanks All Nick Last edited by NArnold; March 30, 2015 at 05:24 PM.

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March 30, 2015	#18
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	I would put the lights about 6" from the top of the plants and run them 12-14 hours per day. Purple and curling can be caused by too much light. The soil should be close to dry before you water again...the leaves and branches will droop down(not curl) when the plant is too dry. Water near the base of the plant, so as not to get the leaves wet. It looks like you are running your plants a bit too damp...that encourages disease.

March 31, 2015	#21
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,923	Fluorescent bulbs should not burn at 3" distance (IMO). I just touched one. It is hardly 100F. If you are running too many of them where room temperatures are high and the space is confined then the ballasts can generate quite a bit of heat. The bulbs should un cool. My T8 bulbs each use 34 watt. Big portion of the output is light energy.

April 5, 2015	#22
NArnold Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: nebraska Posts: 25	If my tomatoes have gotten disease from my poor gardening skills should I start over? I just looked at my plant date tags, I planted them on March 7. They are not quite a month old. I am not planning on planting outside until the weekend after mothers day so I have time to replant I think. What do u guys think? I have let the plants dry out to the point they start to droop and the soil started to pull away from the side of the container. Then I watered them lightly. It doesn't seem to be getting any better. Do u guys think they will pull out of it? Every leave is curled on some of the plants even the baby leafs that are trying to form. Thanks Nick

April 5, 2015	#23
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Nick, after you let them dry out, I always water them very thoroughly at that point, and make sure the water runs right through and drains out. Watering a little at that point is probably not enough.

April 5, 2015	#24
NArnold Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: nebraska Posts: 25	I must be pretty dense. I seem to be making this way more complicated than I should. 1)So if I understand right, let them dry out which I did. 2)Then water them to the point it comes out the bottom. 3)Then wait until the pot is dry an inch below the surface and re-water. I seem to be able to grow pretty much anything else I try. Tomatoes I thought were supposed to be easy. Ok, I take that back. I can't seem to grow spinach, onions, or garlic either. But I think I have figured those three out. Its not that I can't grow tomatoes, they just look like crap from start to finish and I am sure that effects the yield. I had two Roma tomato plants last year and only got 15lbs worth of usable tomatoes. Though the plants probably produced twice that amount but half of the tomatoes had blossom end rot . I bought some bush tomatoes from the local nursery and they looked good until August set fruit which all had blossom end rot and then the plant died. I think the plant was determinate. I had four beef steak plants and they looked like crap all year also, bottom leaves getting black spots and the few tomatoes that it did produce had blossom end rot. I am beginning to think that tomatoes don't like water at all except when they are producing fruit. Or they just don't like me. Thanks Again Nick

April 5, 2015	#25
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Repot with new potting soil,new brand,today. Than, bottom water, only when a little dry or ever so slightly wilty. They are drowning!

April 6, 2015	#26
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	No expert here, but over watering seems likely. It is common practice for commercial growers to only water their tomatoes when they begin to wilt since it saves time/money and lessens risk of disease. Try letting them dry out for a couple of days would be my suggestion.

April 7, 2015	#27
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	It is common practice for commercial growers to only water their tomatoes when they begin to wilt since it saves time/money and lessens risk of disease. That's what I do. I'm only a market grower, but I've got about five thousand plants going in the greenhouse right now. On cloudy days when the greenhouse doesn't heat up, I rarely water anything.

April 7, 2015	#30
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	I'm far from an expert ... but just by looking at the pictures you posted, the soil looks way too moist. You could certainly have nourishment issues as well, but I wouldn't water as much. Maybe these were taken right after you watered, but that is the first thing I see is very moist soil.