It happens every year.... (long, whiny, and image-heavy)

Joz · May 5, 2006

I plant a bunch of tomatoes (in containers), and things go pretty well. I get some leafminers, but no aphids yet this year, and no mealybugs. It's been reasonably cool in the evenings, and only in the mid-80's during the day.

But...

My plants start to look sickly. Bits of them turn yellow. Bits turn brown. Some random spots pop up, and bits start curling in strange ways. Then, I'll get maybe 10 tomatoes total out of 5+ plants (tho this year I've got nearly 40 plants, and therefore hope to get ~80 tomatoes).

This year, I've already executed two plants that were looking C/TMV-ish (they were fern-leafing). I've been pulling TONS of leafminer infested leaves off (in some cases nearly stripping the plant). And I still have these leaf issues going on:

Newly appeared spots on leaves of Green Grape

odd-looking blossoms on same plant

General yellow/browning of Tommy Toes leaves (May have over-fertilized, as I see some burn at the edges of the leaves... but I am watering heavily to correct)

Yellow wilty bits on Tigerella

Curly, near dead branches on Patio Princess (also exhibiting on Green Grape and another Patio Princess, tho not yet with the wilty crispy leaves)

yellow speckling and leafminer on Tigerella

Can this be related to the water quality (it's pretty heavily chlorinated after the flood), or my care (I'm not consistent about ANYTHING, tho I do water heavily 3 or 4 days out of 7, and fertilize every couple weeks with seaweed or fish emulsion as a soil drench),or the lack of sunlight (they get sun for about 6.5 hours - I'm on a covered, NE facing balcony)? The recycled soil in the pots? Admittedly, the ones having issues seem to be the ones in pots with older soil...

Am I just not suited for tomatoes? <sniffle>

May 5, 2006	#1
Joz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 27	It happens every year.... (long, whiny, and image-heavy) I plant a bunch of tomatoes (in containers), and things go pretty well. I get some leafminers, but no aphids yet this year, and no mealybugs. It's been reasonably cool in the evenings, and only in the mid-80's during the day. But... My plants start to look sickly. Bits of them turn yellow. Bits turn brown. Some random spots pop up, and bits start curling in strange ways. Then, I'll get maybe 10 tomatoes total out of 5+ plants (tho this year I've got nearly 40 plants, and therefore hope to get ~80 tomatoes). This year, I've already executed two plants that were looking C/TMV-ish (they were fern-leafing). I've been pulling TONS of leafminer infested leaves off (in some cases nearly stripping the plant). And I still have these leaf issues going on: Newly appeared spots on leaves of Green Grape odd-looking blossoms on same plant General yellow/browning of Tommy Toes leaves (May have over-fertilized, as I see some burn at the edges of the leaves... but I am watering heavily to correct) Yellow wilty bits on Tigerella Curly, near dead branches on Patio Princess (also exhibiting on Green Grape and another Patio Princess, tho not yet with the wilty crispy leaves) yellow speckling and leafminer on Tigerella Can this be related to the water quality (it's pretty heavily chlorinated after the flood), or my care (I'm not consistent about ANYTHING, tho I do water heavily 3 or 4 days out of 7, and fertilize every couple weeks with seaweed or fish emulsion as a soil drench),or the lack of sunlight (they get sun for about 6.5 hours - I'm on a covered, NE facing balcony)? The recycled soil in the pots? Admittedly, the ones having issues seem to be the ones in pots with older soil... Am I just not suited for tomatoes? <sniffle>