Disease diagnosis

[Salaam]

Hello all,

For the first/second time I pruned most of my tomatoes to less than three stems. It was interesting.

1. Together with perhaps the most diligent watering and fertilizing I've done (these are in containers), I got the best production I've ever hand per plant, all else being equal.

2. It seems all plants fruited much earlier than usual, but the tomatoes stayed green for ages. I assume it was the unusual heat, because as soon as it cooled a little, most started ripening.

Some of the plants now have all fruit picked, but they're ill (photos attached). I don't know if they'll bear more fruit, or if the tiny fruit they have now will mature and ripen. Before, when I pruned much less, it seems that the production was more spread out from early August to late September, but now it seems I got a lot of production at once and maybe not much from late August onwards. What do you think? And of course, what do you think these diseases are?

Salaam

[zipcode]

Well, there is some serious deficiency of something, possibly K. Not sure that's all there is.
I prune to one stem, and yes, I notice a production in waves, but I don't think it's necessarily due to pruning, but more about keeping the plant balanced so that it's not overly loaded with fruit at any point, and keeping the nutrition on point (which is basically impossible for me with extreme water hardness).

[cwavec]

I agree. I also have something looking very similar. Notice how the leaves
are deteriorating around the edges and from the tip back.


Agree, probably K but maybe also much more.


Suggest you get a professional soil test and then make the indicated
amendments.



Here in Pennsylvania, for example, it is Penn State. They provide a pre-paid
kit for $9 and postage is around $5 or $6. That's not cheap, especially if you
do very many but for one garden maybe once or twice a year it's not that
bad and the results are usually worth it.

[Labradors2]

Since you are growing in containers. Perhaps you just need more of the right fertilizer.

Please tell us which fertilizer you are using, and how often you are fertlizing.

Linda

[Salaam]

Yes, these are all in containers. I am using the soluble liquid (https://www.promixgardening.com/en/p...-fruits-3-6-12) about once very two weeks and adding granular (https://www.promixgardening.com/en/p...rtilizer-4-4-8) once a month, more or less at the recommended rate. I note that after liquid fertilization, there doesn't seem to be any noticeable improvement in the health of the plant (the leaves).

I thought it's some kind of disease, because I had early blight on potatoes in a garden bed a few feet away, and I've had something like this almost every year in tomatoes planted in those containers or in the bed a few feet away, and because the heirlooms (Pineapple, Delicious, and Sungold) have been affected the most. I've had to pull them, actually. The others are less affected.

Salaam

[zipcode]

That sort of deficiency usually can't be undone, one can just slow it or stop it.
Interesting fertilizer, kinda suggest that if anything is not missing is the K,
My second guess would be Mg, but that normally shouldn't scorch the edges. Still worth a shot, add some epsom salts.

When you find that in your conditions certain varieties don't perform, just avoid them, is the unfortunate fact. I have problems with micronutrients due to high water hardness, and certain varieties just don't manage to absorb enough, while others manage, so in time I just selected those that do.