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Post by ellenr on Jun 9, 2015 5:00:16 GMT -5
The leaves are curling up lengthwise. We had a lot of rain over 2 days, about 4 days ago. Could that be it?
It grew quickly. It is in a pot. It is a Ramapo, I've grown them every year, in a pot, and they do wonderfully.
Also, I had a lot of blossoms, but when the blossoms disappear, shouldn't there be a little fruit, where the blossom was?
thanks.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Jun 10, 2015 9:54:11 GMT -5
Ellen, I first would have thought the curled leaves suggested dryness, but with a lot of rain that wouldn't be the case. However, I'm wondering if it's become pot bound - lots of rain, growing in a pot, growing quickly....maybe it needs to be transplanted to a larger pot or into the ground?
Yes, I thought fruit followed blossoms, so I think that's a clue to something amiss but I'm not sure what. I've never had that happen.
Is the pot in which they're growing filled with fresh soil or old soil from last year? Is it in the same spot as last year? I'm assuming there's bottom drainage and it's not waterlogged?
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Post by ecsoehng on Jun 10, 2015 15:25:32 GMT -5
Could be tomato mosaic virus. Search it and see if that looks like what you have. Lots of rain and then heat will bring it out. You are not setting fruit for what ever reason.
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 10, 2015 18:06:40 GMT -5
shouldn't there be a little fruit, where the blossom was?
Weather can sometimes be an issue. At above 85 degrees pollen becomes unviable and fruits will not form. Sometimes it is too humid and the pollen becomes too sticky to drop. On the other hand it may be so dry that the pollen does not stick.
Usually weather problems will correct themselves and the tomatoes will start setting fruit.
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Post by kimmsr🕊 on Jun 11, 2015 6:38:14 GMT -5
The leaves of many plants curl in response to turgidity, the amount of water in the leaves. Too much water in the leaf will cause this just as too little water will.
Whether fruits appear after blossom drop depends on whether pollination happened. Weather will affect pollination.
Perhaps this article by Charlie Nardozzi might be of some help. www.garden.org/articles/articles.php?q=show&id=93
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Post by tbird on Jun 11, 2015 7:25:09 GMT -5
How are the plants ellenr?
Sometimes, they seem to be ailing in response to poor weather conditions and bounce right back when the weather returns to their comfort zone.
Hope they are doing better!
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Post by ellenr on Jun 13, 2015 5:48:50 GMT -5
Kimmsr, very helpful! thank you. I will print this out and read. I've never before had a tomato problem, and it is quite confusing to diagnose. this article looks comprehensive. Tbird- thanks. I am on way to garden now to check 'em out. At least they are not getting any worse. will report back.
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Post by ellenr on Jun 15, 2015 6:47:16 GMT -5
Update- Of course it rained last nite, so I don't know what I'll find this morning, but as of last week, but tomato seems to be fine. I cut off the affected leaves, and I've got fruit!
plus I have a volunteer tomato plant.
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Post by armjr on Jun 15, 2015 7:52:37 GMT -5
My dad usually had some tomato plants and Bell Pepper plants when I was a kid. One year I remember him talking about the plants not setting fruit. He said he was going to whip them. I thought he was kidding, but he got the water hose and beat the snot out of the plants. A week later they were blooming up a storm and had set fruit. He said that sometimes the best thing for tomatoes was a hailstorm. Hailstorms are a bit unpredictable and it is even more difficult to get one at the proper time for your tomatoes, but, it was =either last year or the year before (they are all running together these days), the tomatoes were leggy and had great vines but very few tomatoes. We had a substantial hailstorm. Not bad enough to damage the roof of the house but certainly bad enough to test the "Hailstorm Theory" on the tomatoes. They were torn up pretty badly. It held true and we had a bumper crop after the storm.
Now, with all that said, I have not ever been able to bring myself to the point of administering corporal punishment to my tomato plants, regardless of how under performing they tend to be at times. But there are things that I do.
1. No tobacco allowed on the premises. I never touch tobacco and don't allow anyone who does to get anywhere near my garden. This has cut down on tobacco mosaic virus and the number of people traipsing around in the yard.
2. I try to water evenly. I seldom get the leaves wet except early in the morning and mid afternoon after the sun is off the plants but giving them time to dry before dark. When I water I flood the root zones through a series of small trenches to water deeply and without too much disturbance of the soil or surrounding mulch.
3. I mulch with grass clippings. There are those that decry this practice as it brings unwanted seeds into the garden. This is a non-issue if you mulch because most of the seeds die in the decomposition process and the ones that don't die are covered with the next layer of mulch if they sprout. I believe nightshades love decomposing mulch around them. It's just my opinion base don my observations. I don't know if there's any scientific basis to it or not.
4. I don't pull suckers on indeterminant varieties unless I want to start new plants from them. Certainly not on determinant varieties. I was taught to pinch the suckers. I'm not sure why because I see them producing all the time. I don't do it.
5. I stay out of the tomato beds unless I'm picking or have to tie up plants. Stomping around in the garden compacts the soil and creates more problems than I care to alleviate.
6. Disclaimer: All Organic purists should cover your eyes to read this next part. I spray insecticide if I get stinkbugs or aphids or white flies. I kill them before they can ruin a crop. I will also hit the plants with a mild foliar application of phosphorus if they look like they are going to have a problem setting fruit. Some Miracle Grow is often spilled in the tomato beds as well. I have noticed nothing but benefits form these practices. Opinions may vary.
7. I do not allow fruit to fully ripen on the vine. When the fruits are ripe but firm I pick them, or even before. Any ruined fruit is removed completely from the plant and thrown to the side away from the plants. I believe that allowing fruit to stay on the vine too long sends signals to the plant that its purpose is done, that it has reproduced and that it's time to die. By keeping them well picked the plants will keep going. As I've said before, I now have a plant in my garden that has been producing (and is producing very well at this time) since last fall.
8. I believe this last thing is probably the most important aspect of growing tomatoes or another plant of that matter. When I am looking at my garden I only allow myself to think about the things that are going Right. If I see a problem, I do not dwell on it, I fix it, and move on to POSITIVE thoughts again. I live in the present when I'm in the garden, marveling at the beauty of the plants and the good things they will bring. Without sounding tooooooo creepy, I think plants can sense these positive and negative vibes. I don't sing to them or quote Walt Whitman or anything like that, but I just think positive thoughts. Even if they can't feel the vibes, remaining positive certainly helps ME!
Okay, I'm done for the day. Time to go to work.
Alan
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