hobbyhack
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Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:20 pm

Help with tomato plant issues

I am not sure what to do. I have recently moved my plants from their inside starter location to their outside location. Many of the plants are very droopy but my tomatoes are beyond droopy. They are still green but seem almost dead. The leaves feel very thin.

I have noticed that most of the pepper plants respond to being sprayed down with water by perking back up in a few minutes but 2 of my tomato plants are not responding well. One is doing OK but is also struggling. The 2 having the most issues were grown inside aeroponically. The one that is doing OK was started with flood and drain hyrdoponics. All 3 are now in a flood and drain system. I did my best to acclimate them slowly but we had lots of days of storms so I think this was somewhat of a sudden move.

I am guessing they just can't take the heat or amount of sun outside. At this point I am flooding the system with water every hour for 15 minutes but that doesn't seem to be helping. I put up a screen to see if blocking some of the sun would help but it doesn't seem to have made a difference. They are way too big to come back inside.

Picture of the bad plant (sorry about the rotation)
https://hobbyhack.net/100_0407.JPG

Picture of the bad plants next to the one doing OK:
https://hobbyhack.net/100_0411.JPG

Thanks for any help you can provide.

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GardenRN
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Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:01 am
Location: Chesterfield, Va

Doesn't sound like you hardened the plants off before you put them out in the sun. It takes time.

It also sounds like you are expecting them to perk up almost immediately. Don't count on that. Keep them watered like you normally would, add some shade for a few days and let them be. Give em a week to get used to the outdoors. Maybe a little more.

And stop touching and playing with them! :wink: I don't think stressed plants appreciate it.

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Rogue11
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 2:22 pm
Location: Orange County, California

Did you harden your plants before taking them outside? you should over a period of several days slowly get them adjusted to the elements instead of just putting them outside. I am not sure if it still will help but try providing some shade. Good luck .

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kimbledawn
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Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:18 am
Location: Memphis

Did you harden the plants off before moving them? If not that may explain why they are droopy. They may be in shock. I'm sure some of the more experienced gardeners will chime in.

hobbyhack
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Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:20 pm

Thanks for the replies

I actually hardened them over a 2 week period. However We have had a lot of storms in the past week so they have been back inside full time for the past week. The problem I had is they just exploded with growth in the past couple of weeks. It was pretty amazing but I had to move outdoors.

I think it is a combination of them getting slack, back inside over the past week and then going full outside on the same day they were switched from aeroponic to flood and drain hydroponic. I noticed that while both aero and hydro had great looking roots they were significantly different.

The screen helps with the shade but might not be enough. I am going to try adding some more shade.

In hind sight I guess touching them might have been a bad idea.

Thanks a bunch for the replies. Hopefully they come back. My peppers are doing well. The only ones that were having some issues were the hot lemon peppers but the screen I used to shade them made a big difference today.

hobbyhack
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Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:20 pm

They are actually doing better today. Some of the lower branches have come back and it is working it's way up. I think the don't touch the stressed out plants and go back to the normal watering schedule was the best advise.

Thanks guys.



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