Stunted leaves

BLTLOVER · July 4, 2013

I have never seen this condition with my tomato plants. They started out normal and when they got about 2 feet tall, all of the new growth has small stunted leaves (about 1/3 normal size). Also, although they have been loaded with blooms, they are getting very poor fruit set. I did some research and it sounds like, due to the constant torrential rains that we had all May and into June, the soil nutrients have been washed from the soil. I always add grass clippings all summer and then all the leaves from my large yard in the fall so I've never had to worry about fertile soil. However, last summer was very dry and I got very little grass clippings. I fertilized about 2 weeks ago but not seeing much change yet. I'll send a pic as soon as I replace the dead battery.

FILMNET · July 4, 2013

Here is my 6 plants with small stunted leaves. i got these 6 plants for only $2.25 3 weeks ago
Cherokee purple plants with flowers, these plants were in small pots the roots were bad.anyway i got them

ScottinAtlanta · July 4, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by FILMNET

Here is my 6 plants with small stunted leaves. i got these 6 plants for only $2.25 3 weeks ago
Cherokee purple plants with flowers, these plants were in small pots the roots were bad.anyway i got them

They look like you are giving them a new lease on life. I also can't resist helping distressed seedlings. I had 40 seedlings badly hurt by over watering, put them in the soil, and one month later, they began growing. The trauma shocked them into complete paralysis for weeks, then they recovered. Tough little plants.

FILMNET · July 4, 2013

It looks like 1 plant has died and the other have new leaves on tops light green color so maybe they will grow. I am cutting a lot off these plants to grow up? they are only 10" high.

BLTLOVER · July 5, 2013

Those are smaller plants and it's kind of hard to tell. I always raise mine from seed and when you look at the bottom half of the plant they have large, normal leaves and from there up, they are the small, stunted leaves. Something happened after they were planted and growing normally. That's why the theory that the constant heavy rains washed the nutrients from the soil seems to make sense. I'll try to get a picture today or tomorrow and send it out.

FILMNET · July 5, 2013

WOW!! I took a sick one out, the roots never grow
Here it is, and the other plants besides this died one, i will let it grow!

nolabelle · July 11, 2013

@BLTLOVER

I'm glad you started a thread on this because I seem to be having the same problem.

At first the original leaves of the plant were attacked by leaf miners and eventually died. I did not want to strip the plant entirely of its leaves, so I treated for leaf miners and did not remove the leaves.

The new leaves growing seem stunted rather than diseased. We, too, have had lots of rainfall lately.

I did manage to dose everything with some MG a week ago, and new growth appears greener on all the plants, including the tomatoes (total two plants in containers).

I will post some photos to see what y'all think.

Thanks a bunch!

July 4, 2013	#1
BLTLOVER Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Iowa Posts: 90	Stunted leaves I have never seen this condition with my tomato plants. They started out normal and when they got about 2 feet tall, all of the new growth has small stunted leaves (about 1/3 normal size). Also, although they have been loaded with blooms, they are getting very poor fruit set. I did some research and it sounds like, due to the constant torrential rains that we had all May and into June, the soil nutrients have been washed from the soil. I always add grass clippings all summer and then all the leaves from my large yard in the fall so I've never had to worry about fertile soil. However, last summer was very dry and I got very little grass clippings. I fertilized about 2 weeks ago but not seeing much change yet. I'll send a pic as soon as I replace the dead battery.

July 11, 2013	#7
nolabelle Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: N.O., LA (Zone 8b) Posts: 136	@BLTLOVER I'm glad you started a thread on this because I seem to be having the same problem. At first the original leaves of the plant were attacked by leaf miners and eventually died. I did not want to strip the plant entirely of its leaves, so I treated for leaf miners and did not remove the leaves. The new leaves growing seem stunted rather than diseased. We, too, have had lots of rainfall lately. I did manage to dose everything with some MG a week ago, and new growth appears greener on all the plants, including the tomatoes (total two plants in containers). I will post some photos to see what y'all think. Thanks a bunch! __________________ I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it!

July 4, 2013	#4
FILMNET Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: North Charleston,South Carolina, USA Posts: 1,803	It looks like 1 plant has died and the other have new leaves on tops light green color so maybe they will grow. I am cutting a lot off these plants to grow up? they are only 10" high.

July 5, 2013	#5
BLTLOVER Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Iowa Posts: 90	Those are smaller plants and it's kind of hard to tell. I always raise mine from seed and when you look at the bottom half of the plant they have large, normal leaves and from there up, they are the small, stunted leaves. Something happened after they were planted and growing normally. That's why the theory that the constant heavy rains washed the nutrients from the soil seems to make sense. I'll try to get a picture today or tomorrow and send it out.