Any hope for sick plants?

[gardengalrn]

With the care my tomato plants have received, it is a wonder any at all have survived. I potted up my tiny plants before leaving for Alaska to see my new/first granddaughter. So it was kinda a critical time for them. Anyway, gave DH strict orders on care but I think he was so worried he wouldn't water them enough that he OVER watered. And he admitted to at least a few nights of forgetting to turn off the grow lights. All that coupled with the fact that it was a little too warm in the room where my grow operation is located....you got it...I've got some kind of dampening off or similar problem (some moldy looking stuff on the top of the dirt). The plants are actually good sized now but failing and some look way better than others.

So, today I potted them up yet again into the bigger 16 oz cups and some were so leggy that I put them in cut off 2 liter bottles. I took the top layer off the original containers that appeared to have the moldy stuff on them, realizing that the mold spores or whatever it is will still be present in the remaining soil. I removed all the sick looking leaves and buried the remaining plants as deep as I could. Most of the stems seemed intact but there were a few that had that typical shriveled look at the base. Oddly, one that had the worst stem problem actually had one of the best looking plants/leaves. I took hope that maybe if I buried it it could somehow make some other roots above before the plant died.

I guess my question is: Has anyone survived this? I would hate to think of all the work and time that went in to all this and (gasp) then not have any delicious maters?!!

I'm giving them today/tonight to rest and recover and hopefully start to harden them off tomorrow since it is supposed to be overcast. I think I need to get them out of that room. Thanks

[gardengalrn]

I'm responding to my own query since nobody else has. As an update, all but one plant has survived. Our weather didn't cooperate in the few days after so I just put them out a few days ago when I could rotate them with me being off from work. Yesterday was perfect but today is windy so we will see.

[Redbaron]

Sorry I missed your original post, but yeah. Get them in the ground fast as you can and most should make it.

[kath]

Hi, Lori- sorry I missed your post, too, but congratulations on your new granddaughter!I'd choose my grandchildren over my tomato plants any day.

It's really easy to overwater- I agree with what Scott said and don't worry about the green stuff. Once they're in the ground and have some time to adjust and some good weather, they'll recover. If you can rig up some wind protection with row cover, shade cloth, plastic, etc. to protect from extreme wind until they get going, it might help.

I once had late frost nearly kill plants- within a couple days some had no leaves left but just a hint of green in the stalk. I left a few and within a week they were growing new leaves and recovered to produce fruit. Tomato plants are pretty tough.

kath

[SharonRossy]

I almost killed a few watering, mostly because the poor plant got knocked around, but they do survive! Haven't had any green stuff yet! Congrats on the granddaughter. More delicious than any tomato!

[gardengalrn]

Thanks guys/gals. My brutal treatment of my plants has unfortunately continued. There are a few that have fell by the wayside but still some that are making it despite the odds. I can't whine, it is my fault. I set them out and things were looking good. We had a few windy days that didn't help them much. Then Wed afternoon I was due to go to KC for a trauma symposium for work for a few days. While the temps had been nice, that night and following few days were predicted to storm, ice and freeze. Sooooo, I took all the plants into the dark dingy garage. I got back this evening and found a few more casualities (from original problem, wind damage and/or cat stompling) and the rest needed water. It is going to rain tonight and tomorrow so not sure when I can get these babies in the ground and out of their misery, LOL. Anyway, thanks for the comments. I just thought I would continue my story of plant abuse.

[ScottinAtlanta]

I had hundreds of plants that were over-watered by my well meaning helper. When I got home, I found them stunted, most dead, roots rotted. I saved the ones I could, let them dry, gave them a weak jolt of fish, and now, as an experiment, planted all of the severely damaged and stunted ones to see if they would recover over the course of the season. I am seeing some recovery, but only several weeks after the damage. More later as recovery progresses (or not).

[gardengalrn]

Scott, I would be curious as to your results. At the risk of sounding like one of those whiny, negative people we all hate to be around....my results have not been so great. Certainly, I have found certain plants held up better under stress than others. Porter and Pruden's Purple seem to be totally oblivious to most curve-balls thrown to them. None, however, were a match for my cow who busted down the cow panel keeping her out of my garden So, I've all but given up considering what all I've dealt with but that small, tiny gardener part of me still went out and propped up a few that Ruby cow missed, LOL.

[ScottinAtlanta]

I will be home in a few days and will send a report.