Help a Newbie Figure Out What's Wrong With His Tomato Plant

DeanAg05 · March 9, 2014

These are pictures of a Sun Gold that has been in the ground about 2 weeks. I have a couple of other plants with a similar pattern on the leaves, but this one is the worst (they are all different varieties).

These were planted with a granular organic in the hole at the time of planting and had the root ball soaked in MycoGrow and Actinovate. It has been pretty wet and cold in Houston of late. This plant survived the cold front from a week or so ago that brought the temp down to about 29 degrees. One of the other plants with less of the mottling has some downward leaf curl. Any ideas?

http://1drv.ms/NOJhxV

I appreciate any help.

-Dean

mrdoitall · March 9, 2014

Looks like they may need a little magnesium sulfate. Also called Epsom salt.

Urbanfarmer · March 9, 2014

Certainly appears to be a deficiency, but which one? And what caused it? Temps, bad ph, or just missing in the rootzone?

Many look the same. Just dose them with a good, balanced fertilizer with micros a few times and see what happens. They'll likely come around.

creister · March 10, 2014

Give them some seaweed fertilizer, and also warmer temps will probably help. Cold snap usually makes them mope. I had a cold snap cause some similar effect. After it warmed up, the plants did fine.

sergeant69 · March 11, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrdoitall

Looks like they may need a little magnesium sulfate. Also called Epsom salt.

best way to apply??? thanks

mrdoitall · March 17, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by sergeant69

best way to apply??? thanks

With plants that look like these I would use a Foliar Spray now. Using a tank sprayer, combine Epsom salts in a gallon of water. Use 2 tablespoons salts per gallon when applying once a month; 1 tablespoon per gallon if you apply more than once a month.

When I plant my tomatoes I add 1 tablespoon to the planting hole and work into the soil before planting tomato seedlings.

Later in the season if the plants are not nice and green and healthy I will give them another Foliar spraying or two and add 2 more tablespoon as a side dressing.

sergeant69 · March 17, 2014

THANKS !!!! been looking for awhile for the formula. was scared to put salt on a plant till I found out Epsom salts isn't a salt after all.

mrdoitall · March 17, 2014

I use it on my peppers also. Makes them nice and green.

RayR · March 18, 2014

Looks more like a bit of cold damage to me. If it was wet and cold for a week, then I would expect some leaf issues. If the soil temperature dropped low enough in the root zone you could get some nutrient deficiency symptoms. For magnesium deficiency I would expect to see intravenous yellowing, but you have more white/yellow discoloration along the veins.

March 9, 2014	#1
DeanAg05 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Argyle, TX Posts: 10	Help a Newbie Figure Out What's Wrong With His Tomato Plant These are pictures of a Sun Gold that has been in the ground about 2 weeks. I have a couple of other plants with a similar pattern on the leaves, but this one is the worst (they are all different varieties). These were planted with a granular organic in the hole at the time of planting and had the root ball soaked in MycoGrow and Actinovate. It has been pretty wet and cold in Houston of late. This plant survived the cold front from a week or so ago that brought the temp down to about 29 degrees. One of the other plants with less of the mottling has some downward leaf curl. Any ideas? http://1drv.ms/NOJhxV I appreciate any help. -Dean

March 9, 2014	#3
Urbanfarmer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Freeport, Texas Posts: 134	Certainly appears to be a deficiency, but which one? And what caused it? Temps, bad ph, or just missing in the rootzone? Many look the same. Just dose them with a good, balanced fertilizer with micros a few times and see what happens. They'll likely come around. __________________ theurbanfarm.com

March 9, 2014	#2
mrdoitall Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 185	Looks like they may need a little magnesium sulfate. Also called Epsom salt.

March 10, 2014	#4
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	Give them some seaweed fertilizer, and also warmer temps will probably help. Cold snap usually makes them mope. I had a cold snap cause some similar effect. After it warmed up, the plants did fine.

March 17, 2014	#7
sergeant69 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: south texas Posts: 203	THANKS !!!! been looking for awhile for the formula. was scared to put salt on a plant till I found out Epsom salts isn't a salt after all.

March 18, 2014	#9
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Looks more like a bit of cold damage to me. If it was wet and cold for a week, then I would expect some leaf issues. If the soil temperature dropped low enough in the root zone you could get some nutrient deficiency symptoms. For magnesium deficiency I would expect to see intravenous yellowing, but you have more white/yellow discoloration along the veins.