Please help: what is causing this?

[Leafer]

And, should I be worried about it? A little background: this is a container-planted plant, a Pruden's Purple. Its container-mate is a Beefmaster that is starting to show signs of the same yellowing. Also, I have two more of the same plants planted a few feet away in bags, and they are starting the same thing. It is all bottom leaves so far, and they appear to be dying after yellowing. Oh yeah, they are about 36 days after transplant, a week or so into fruitset. Thanks in advance.

[amideutch]

Leafer, What type of aggregate did you plant your plants in? Were any amendments added and if so what. Ami

[Leafer]

I just set up my container plants pretty much exactly like Ray outlined in his SWC (earthtainer) thread -- 31 gallon container with miracle grow potting mix, dolomitic lime, and tomato tone fertilizer. The bag tomatoes only got lime, however -- no fertilizer.

[amideutch]

It looks like a nutrient deficiency and or stress induced. If your plants are starting to take off your growing medium may not be supplying enough nutrients to support the whole plant. And especially when fruitset begins the plant will be putting all it's energy into making the fruit and thus bypassing the lower leaves causing the yellowing due to lack of nutrients. You might want to get a kelp/fish based fertilizer and water your bags with and add some to your tainer resorvoir. Also apply as a foliar spray on the plant itself. Anybody else out there have any idea's. Ami

[Leafer]

Originally Posted by amideutch

You might want to get a kelp/fish based fertilizer and water your bags with and add some to your tainer resorvoir. Also apply as a foliar spray on the plant itself.

Ok Ami, thx a whole bunch -- I certainly hope that it is just a simple nutrient deficiency. How much of the kelp/fish fertilizer would I add to my water reservoir and/or bags to do the job but still keep them from getting burned? I am pretty new to this, and I appreciate all of your advice. Thanks.

[dice]

Fish/kelp usually does not burn. In fact it can take a week before
you see it have any effect, after bacteria etc start to work on it.

If you have some "blue stuff" (Miracle Grow, Peters, Schultz etc
soluble fertilizers), you can mix some up at 1/4 strength, and
spray a couple of the leaves showing symptoms with it (soak
them until they drip). Those products usually have nitrogen
sources that take effect instantly, and you will be able to see
in a day or two if it is a simple matter of nitrogen deficiency
(which is what it looks like to me).

If the leaves turn all green, then they just need some
supplemental fertilizer. Fish/kelp is a good choice.
You can mix some up at full strength (whatever is
recommended on the bottle), pull back your mulch,
and just top-water it. You can also pour a couple of
tablespoons into the water reservoir via the refill
tube. Maybe mix those up into a gallon of water first
and just pour the whole thing into the reservoir when
you are about to fill it up.

Edit:
PS: Good guide to plant nutrition, covers a lot of issues:
http://www.progressivegardens.com/gr.../plantnut.html

[Leafer]

Thanks Dice. I mixed up some 1/4 strength all purpose miracle grow (not sure how old this stuff is though -- make a difference?) and misted the same leaf I took a picture of. The ratio is 12-4-8. How long is this supposed to take if it is going to take effect? I sprayed the leaf at about 4 pm and saw no real change in a couple or three hours. If it is a nitrogen deficiency, should it be green by, say, morning? Or maybe 4 pm tomorrow? Btw, it may rain tonight: if it does, will that make a difference, too? Thanks in advance.

[aninocentangel]

It will probably take a few days. It's hard to wait, especially when one is worried.
Sending "green up" thoughts your way

[dice]

It happens pretty fast, usually, a couple of days. The rain will
not matter, it has probably already absorbed a bunch of it.

If nothing happens, the plant may be "abscissing" that leaf
already, sealing it off from the vascular tissue in the main
stem. I have seen that happen with leaves that are mostly
shaded all day, even though the overall plant is quite healthy.

[Leafer]

Thanks aninocentangel -- I need some green thoughts right now, lol.

Dice, well I looked at it this morning: pretty much the same. If the leaf has possibly already started abscission, perhaps I should pick one that isn't this "far gone" to spray? Also, could I just get some fish emulsion and go ahead and use it anyway? It wouldn't hurt to supplement my fertilizer would it? Especially since my plants are starting to fruit?

[amideutch]

Leafer, no reason why not. It won't hurt the plants and especially the ones in the bags with no amendments. Ami

[dice]

Yes, if the gro-bags had no fertilizer, they really need some.
Those plants have been growing on the minimal stuff that
came in the container mix.

(I don't think things like Miracle Gro have a "use by" date.
Nothing much can happen to them inside a plastic container.
There is nothing for phosphorus to attach to, nothing that
bacteria can use up nitrogen digesting, etc.)

[aninocentangel]

Miracle Gro also doesn't spoil or lose strength when a brand new open bag is left out in a big thunderstorm, turns into blue soup, and is then hidden away in a broiling hot garage for a month by a teenager hoping to avoid a lecture. It did turn into a big blue rock that we had to chip at and soak in hot water to dissolve though.
Of course, that was 20 years ago and I'm not a teenager any more, but I don't imagine that they've changed the formula that drastically in the interim.

[Leafer]

Well thanks everyone for the great info! Sadly though, it looks like I've got bigger concerns: BER! I am absolutely sick! I was prepared to use a fish emulsion to add some nitrogen, but I have read that doing so can exacerbate BER, so I am going to tank those plans. I cannot figure what went wrong here: I used the appropriate amount of lime when I planted out, but I guess that the rain we have had (coupled with the tears in my mulch-plastic -- thanks raccoons!) washed out too much of my lime. I dunno. But the largest greenies I have are showing the characteristic wet spot right now. So, where do I go from here? Clip the ones off to let the plant divert energy elsewhere? Foliar epsom salt soaking? Btw, is it true that BER usually happens on the first tomatoes but not on the ones that come later? Looking for a glimmer of hope here. Thanks.

[aninocentangel]

Some plants can outgrow BER. Here's an info sheet (it appears to be a class hand out) on BER and it's prevention through soil management and fertilization. http://www.premontm.com/Anne/ed291/Handouts.htm
I haven't had to deal with it in a long time (knock wood) but I do remember that plants can get BER even if calcium is available, it depends on their ability to absorb and utilize it. Hope that helps!