Growing Laterals...

[murihikukid]

Patti...They are all outside and have all been sprayed apart from the plants in my drums...iE Campari/Tasty Tom/Black Cherry /Early girl...I will do them tomorrow ...EVERY plant is diseased that I took outside with the discoloured leaves on every one at different stages....and its the same as a few months ago and I do not know what it is...a mold or a blight whatever ??Its meangingless to me cause I thought somebody could identify it and suggest a cure....When I went to the diseases forum last time there were so many suggestions I did not know where I was...I do know it is picking up the same disease and it could even originate from last year ...I am not the cleanest of growers but I am really starting to question the growing mix....With nearly all my plants now outside in an unfinished greenhouse I consider I am no better off ...I never had time or the energy to clean it all ...even my Tasty Toms now taste terrible...

I would think there is a number of plants I sprayed that are way beyond saving yet they were thriving seedlings so what went wrong....Well they stopped growing after being transplanted and then caught the unknown leaf disease or vice versa...

[murihikukid]

Patti My Computer is crashing all the time and I found on styartup my message was still there so I sent it..Again I asked my friend for help but absolutely nothing ...I hate friends like that...Regards Ron

[MissS]

I thought that you had your soil recipe down in the beginning of this thread. At least I know that we had worked on it. Whatever you decide add some calcium and an all purpose fertilizer along with the perlite. Remember to keep the soil as lite as possible so that it will not stay wet. So you may need to add some peatmoss or some of your composted leaves to keep it well drained.

Yes, a bean seed is a bush bean, runner bean or any other bean seed that you can come by.

Regards ~ Patti

[Worth1]

Ron I am keeping up with this and it baffles me to no end.

Worth

[murihikukid]

Patti...It seems to me that by the time I grew a bean everything will be dead...Its a beautiful day here so what do I do...I have checked my plants and most look terrible ....I feel that I have to bike up and get some new soil and try what you suggested ...and also start another propagation of seeds.....?????

The more developed plants inside in the drums will be bleach sprayed today ..They hopefully are strong enough and will survive ....

I am more convinced that a disease in the soil I used is the reason for all this... so I better get the soil and start washing?? Ron.

[MissS]

What soil did you use to plant these sick plants in? Is it the same soil that you used in the beginning of this thread or did you switch products? Please go back to the start and read what did and did not work for you before you buy something that you had problems with in the past. Growing medium is expensive and it might be worthwhile to do the bean experiment to see if you can re-use this soil or just dispose of it entirely. It might have some pesticides and or other chemicals that are toxic to your tomatoes. It might even have some kind of disease of which we do not know of. If only your newly planted tomatoes are showing these symptoms, then yes, your soil is quite suspicious of being the culprit. Wash and replant and let us hope..........

Regards ~ Patti

[murihikukid]

Patti...I have bought soil etc then took a Sungold plant out to the gardening experts ...they simply dug in with their hand and lifted the plant out...the roots were very underdeveloped and she grabbed a handful of soil and squeezed....I could not believe the amount of water that came out of the soil...I have been drowning them yet I thought I was not giving them too much water....She said it would be touch and go if it survived in new soil...but its worth a try....Whether over watering is the cause of the leaf disease who knows......I have bought a Peat Moss and Tui's Tomato mix and will make a mix up with some perlite...

So now I have one final bike ride....I am worn out...

Regards Ron..

[MissS]

I thought that the soil looked rather wet. Let's see how they do once they dry out.

Now that you have some dry soil. Fill a container and before you plant into it lift it up to get the feel of how much it weighs. It should be nice and light. Then lift the container that your plant is growing in and see how much more it weighs than the new one. You only want to add a small amount of water after you plant and do not ever soak it. It should always just a tad bit more than the container of dry soil. Back to basics... do not over-water your tomato plants. Tomatoes like to be grown on the dry side.

I doubt that your leaf issues have been caused by over-watering, but certainly the extra strain and added humidity has not helped them. We will wait and see...

[murihikukid]

Patti..Re soil...I do not think it is properly recorded ....I know at some stage I introduced soil from the garage roof ....any way no plants from the very beginning were free of the leaf problem whatever it is.....

I know I used Tui Tomato mix with other things ....so I bought two bags of it plus Tui's Peat Moss ...I will make up a mix of 2 parts Tui Tomato Mix to one part of Peat Moss to one part of perlite?????plus some additives like Plantmate and ground Oyster shell...All the containers have been washed in bleach so I am just waiting for them to dry ...then I will see if I can ressurect the worst plants ....

The question I have is ?? there is no way these plants will support them selves ...so do I plant them lying down???

Regards Ron..

[murihikukid]

Patti..Hopefully you can reply ASAP so as I can start on this ...It seems to that the only way I can do this with the weak plants is lie them down and cover the root area with my soil mix and carefully lift the stem by supporting it some how...Probably using a saucer as a recepticle till they either strengthen up or die?? Cheers Ron

[MissS]

Ron, if the plants are lying down it does not sound as if there is much hope. But, you and your plants have surprised me before so I would go right ahead and give them a chance. If possible, I would try to give them some support. A twig, a toothpick, something that you have lying around even a spare fork or knife. Keeping them off of the dirt will cause less disease. But, just do what you can. Some may be so limp that supporting them is impossible.

Yes that's right, your Tui mix has plenty of fertilizer built right in so do not add anything other than calcium and mycos. If I recall correctly you do not need to add anymore plant food for 2-3 months.

Regards ~ Patti

[murihikukid]

Patti...Thanks for that advice ..I was thinking of putting something between the stem/leaves and the soil to protect them from disease ........I have no expectations but I have to try ....
I wonder if growlights would help them seeing I have some now???

There could be 4 or 5 of really weak ones and the rest hopefully will support themselves with a small stake...Even my Stupice look terrible and they are supposed to be a strong plant...Haven't they got a penicillan for tomatoes??
Regards Ron

[MissS]

I'm sorry, no penicillin for tomatoes, but wouldn't that be so very nice.

I would keep the plants in very low light right now while they try to recover. Definitely not right under the lights or in direct sunshine. Find a low light spot that is sheltered. Indirect light is best if you can find some. Think dense shade but not totally dark either. As soon as they can raise their heads on their own then you can start moving them into a brighter light. I do hope that this works out for you... Once they can fully stand up, then get some copper or something on them. Maybe you could even dip them in the copper solution before you replant them.

[murihikukid]

Patti...I have not found another plant with water that could be hand squeezed from the soil...I think I picked the only one out that actually got doubled watered at my last watering and took it to the gardening centre....Now she pointed out that there was a root growth problem on the Sungold I took out there and she was dead right as all the small plants I have washed the roots of and re planted into fresh soil have very poor root growth....I am slowly getting through them ...maybe a drop of Scottish whiskey could help them ?? the stems still have strength so I have put the pottles on an angle so that the leaves/branches hang over the side of the container...You would probably know if the roots can be given something to strengthen them cause I think thats the real problem although perhaps there is something else also....I will just have to wait and see what happens...The mix I made ...I never added any water ...it is not completely dry ....I will just wait til I hear back from you ....I wonder if the worst ones should be bought back inside??? Regards Ron

[MissS]

Ron I woke up in the middle of the night thinking of you and your troubles with these plants. I had not been aware of any changes to the potting mix so we need to go back to square one. Check the ph of the soil and then adjust it. Since root growth is a problem you might want to add some more phosphorous which promotes roots. Keep your plants on the dry side to make them want to produce more roots.

How were the roots when you potted them up??? Were they lush and full or barely there?

Yes they would be better off in the house, but I would not bring them in... You might be spreading this to your other plants and then what??? Just find a protected shady spot for your hospital and it will have to do. We still are not sure that the soil was/is the source of your problems. We don't know if this is a disease or due to wet feet.

You know, my aunt used to dump her ice cubes from her Bourbon onto her plants and she had the most beautiful houseplants that I ever did see so what the heck, why not allow them one little tiny drink of some Scottish Whiskey. It just might be their last salute..... B vitamins have also been said to help sickly plants.

I now am sitting here pondering why all of the plants have such stunted root growth. Usually it is from over-watering and the roots drown and rot away. Ph could have some effect but not as dramatic as you are describing. Could you please describe to me all that you have been doing with these seedlings so that I can help to figure it out. Soil, growing conditions, water and feeding what has been going on in their short lives...

Regards ~ Patti