Over watered? Guilty.

Kikaida · May 29, 2015

Checked the soil and it was dry a couple inches down so I gave them a good watering...Now they look like they haven't been watered in 3 weeks! Good news is they are in mesh pots so hopefully that will help them to dry out quicker. The question is, will they recover?...stupid rookie mistake

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I guess 2 gallons is too much for a 25 gallon pot....I know, I know, let me have it.

wormgirl · May 29, 2015

When I planted in 20 gallon containers this year, it took 5 full gallons to water them in before moisture started to show at the drainage holes. So it's not necessarily too much volume. Maybe it was just too soon?

I have been using this trick... a jar full of bamboo skewers. Stick one down to the bottom of the pot. (You could even stick it through the mesh I guess!) Then, feel the moisture that has been absorbed by the wood. This will give you a better idea of how moist your big pot is down deep. I have the jar full so I can use a new skewer for each plant and judge individually. They dry out before the next use.

Hope they recover soon. Post a pic if you can!

ScottinAtlanta · May 29, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by wormgirl

When I planted in 20 gallon containers this year, it took 5 full gallons to water them in before moisture started to show at the drainage holes. So it's not necessarily too much volume. Maybe it was just too soon?

I have been using this trick... a jar full of bamboo skewers. Stick one down to the bottom of the pot. (You could even stick it through the mesh I guess!) Then, feel the moisture that has been absorbed by the wood. This will give you a better idea of how moist your big pot is down deep. I have the jar full so I can use a new skewer for each plant and judge individually. They dry out before the next use.

Hope they recover soon. Post a pic if you can!

Good tip.

Gardeneer · May 29, 2015

Well, IMO, it depend on the medium (potting mix). Some would retaining too much moisture (water ) before they start draining. Even then there can be a high PWT at the bottom, refusing to drain. This is often the characteristic of the peat moss based potting mixes.

Kikaida · May 29, 2015

Thanks for the comments and advice, I'll try to take a picture when I get home this afternoon.

Kikaida · May 29, 2015

So here are my wilty, twisted tops...The lower leaves look better but are a little curled. Do they look like they'll recover if they dry out?
*EDIT...First picture ~6am, second picture same plant ~5PM*

feldon30 · May 29, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kikaida

Checked the soil and it was dry a couple inches down so I gave them a good watering...Now they look like they haven't been watered in 3 weeks! Good news is they are in mesh pots so hopefully that will help them to dry out quicker. The question is, will they recover?...stupid rookie mistake

-
I guess 2 gallons is too much for a 25 gallon pot....I know, I know, let me have it.

How many holes do you have drilled in the pot? How high up on the side of the pot are the holes drilled?

Kikaida · May 29, 2015

Hi Feldon,

These are fabric pots, excess water freely flows out. The pots are also on very porous paving stones to aid in draining the underside.

beeman · May 29, 2015

I don't think they're too wet, quite the reverse.
Fabric pots dry out really quickly, and it takes a he.ll of a lot to get water down to the roots.
I would suggest you give them a bit more and more often to stop them drying out, and if they do happen to get dry, then soak them, the excess soon drips away.
I recently made up new medium for 3 fabric pots, it took approx 10 gallons to wet the stuff down.
I water my fabric pots every other day, just to make sure they don't dry out.

Kikaida · May 30, 2015

Thanks for the advice beeman, they were very perky before they got watered and the next morning after watering they looked like shiz...Literally 12 hours later, bam! It's been cool here, low 70s and water saturated all the way down the pot and came out the bottom. The "wilt" is a firm wilt, not floppy. The lower half of the pots are still discolored with water and are cool to the touch. They are for sure starting to snap out of it, in the first picture with the flopped over new growth, that has straightened out since I took the picture this morning...have a look. (same picture inserted into first set of photos...pretty cool comparison, if you missed it, scroll up and see the side by side comparison)

Kikaida · May 30, 2015

...wow, actually going back and forth between the two pictures, not only is the floppy new growth straight but look at the thick stem in the background sagging to the left. It's now vertical! Those pictures were taken around 11 hours apart. (forgive my hydrangea for photo bombing...I need to have a talk with her)

Tapout · May 30, 2015

Tomato plants are awesome! They can take a beating and snap out of it before you know it. Years back I was a 5 gallon bucket tomato gardener. I learned so much about watering and drainage.

The best advice I can give you is everyday go out and look at your garden and keep a garden journal. Keep track of what where and when you did things and the weather.

Gardeneer · May 30, 2015

kikaida ,

Your plants look fine to me .
Curling leaves sometimes is an indication of too much water. Then I have experienced that some varieties exhibit curling with no reason. For example my Willamette variety plants have some curling lower leaves next to others that are normal. And the thing is that my raised beds are covered wit black plastic , with a small opening for each plant. So the only water they get is from watering can.

Gardeneer

wormgirl · May 30, 2015

I actually notice some of the same curling on the tops of just SOME of my plants. Like you described - the foliage is curled but firm, not floppy. The growth straightens out just fine like you noticed. I think it may be related to variety, and possibly, cold. Perhaps in the cool weather their feet being wetter causes the curl. I think its possible the are just fine. Do try the skewer trick though.

Kikaida · May 30, 2015

Just checked on them this AM and they improved from over night. I'm looking for my long bamboo skewers, that sounds right on the money. Its supposed to hit 90 today and then cool off tomorrow. I think this will help them to "sweat" out the last of the over water and gain some equilibrium again. The top soil is very dry and again, a couple inches down is a little moist. Think I'll water tomorrow, it will have been 5 days since the deluge and I'll give them just enough to go down a couple inches...along with some Tomato Maker as an apology.

And again, thanks for the words of encouragement everyone.

May 29, 2015	#1
Kikaida Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Valencia, CA Posts: 258	Over watered? Guilty. Checked the soil and it was dry a couple inches down so I gave them a good watering...Now they look like they haven't been watered in 3 weeks! Good news is they are in mesh pots so hopefully that will help them to dry out quicker. The question is, will they recover?...stupid rookie mistake - I guess 2 gallons is too much for a 25 gallon pot....I know, I know, let me have it.

May 29, 2015	#2
wormgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 245	When I planted in 20 gallon containers this year, it took 5 full gallons to water them in before moisture started to show at the drainage holes. So it's not necessarily too much volume. Maybe it was just too soon? I have been using this trick... a jar full of bamboo skewers. Stick one down to the bottom of the pot. (You could even stick it through the mesh I guess!) Then, feel the moisture that has been absorbed by the wood. This will give you a better idea of how moist your big pot is down deep. I have the jar full so I can use a new skewer for each plant and judge individually. They dry out before the next use. Hope they recover soon. Post a pic if you can! __________________ Jenn

May 30, 2015	#11
Kikaida Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Valencia, CA Posts: 258	...wow, actually going back and forth between the two pictures, not only is the floppy new growth straight but look at the thick stem in the background sagging to the left. It's now vertical! Those pictures were taken around 11 hours apart. (forgive my hydrangea for photo bombing...I need to have a talk with her) Last edited by Kikaida; May 30, 2015 at 12:56 AM.

May 30, 2015	#14
wormgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 245	I actually notice some of the same curling on the tops of just SOME of my plants. Like you described - the foliage is curled but firm, not floppy. The growth straightens out just fine like you noticed. I think it may be related to variety, and possibly, cold. Perhaps in the cool weather their feet being wetter causes the curl. I think its possible the are just fine. Do try the skewer trick though. __________________ Jenn

May 29, 2015	#4
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	Well, IMO, it depend on the medium (potting mix). Some would retaining too much moisture (water ) before they start draining. Even then there can be a high PWT at the bottom, refusing to drain. This is often the characteristic of the peat moss based potting mixes.

May 29, 2015	#9
beeman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 692	I don't think they're too wet, quite the reverse. Fabric pots dry out really quickly, and it takes a he.ll of a lot to get water down to the roots. I would suggest you give them a bit more and more often to stop them drying out, and if they do happen to get dry, then soak them, the excess soon drips away. I recently made up new medium for 3 fabric pots, it took approx 10 gallons to wet the stuff down. I water my fabric pots every other day, just to make sure they don't dry out.

May 30, 2015	#12
Tapout Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 355	Tomato plants are awesome! They can take a beating and snap out of it before you know it. Years back I was a 5 gallon bucket tomato gardener. I learned so much about watering and drainage. The best advice I can give you is everyday go out and look at your garden and keep a garden journal. Keep track of what where and when you did things and the weather.