Tomatoes wilting?

[iast8]

I have 2 tomatoes I'm growing on my patio, and they are growing well, but the leaves seem wilty. is this from overwatering? underwatering?

I'm new at this, please help!!

[Halfway]

Try to get a feel for the "weight" of the plant and pot when full and when dry. That is about the best way I have found to insure the wilt if from "dry" soil.

Or, push a pencil about 2 inches down and if soil sticks, there is moisture and probably no need for watering.

Are you hardening them off? Too much sun too soon will wilt them as well.

[TZ -OH6]

It is not uncommon for some tomatoes to wilt a little for part of the day even when properly watered. I often see it in late morning and mid day, less so in the aftrnoon. I think by then the plant hardens up, and earlier in the day it is from soft new growth, but I'm not sure on that.

If wilting is from underwatering a large proportion of the plant will be affected and the pot will be bone dry.

Overwatering usually shows by yellow leaves and a sickly look because dead/disfunctional roots can't get nutrients.

[iast8]

It seems to be in the mid afternoon that this happens.. The leaves definitely are not yellow, and they look healthy except for their leaves curling under a bit. They are growing and have flowers on them.

I read somewhere that some types of tomatoes have "wiltier" looking leaves. Does that hold any truth?

[TZ -OH6]

Sounds like your plants are pretty normal. A little wilting will cause the plant to grow more roots. Hold off on the nitrogen fertilizer to slow down top growth. The rolled leaves often show up early in the year when there is a lot of wet weather but it's not a big deal. There is a wilt gene in some tomatoes, but you are probably not going to see those varieties. Oxheart tomatoes have whispy-feathery shaped leaves that look wilted before they fill out with age.

[iast8]

In response to the hardening off - I didn't even know about that until this forum, I'm a newbie. They are porch tomatoes, and I have been bringing them in at night and if it storms or there is extreme weather... I hope this is good enough

They are about 2 feet tall, not tiny, I'm hoping they can go outside for good soon!

[Rogue11]

How much sun do the plants get? Mine are planted with full sun exposure and they will sometimes on very sunny days look droopy in the afternoon too. Once it gets cooler during the evening they perk up again.
It freaked me out last year when I saw it first. So this time I planted some big sunflowers, placing them so that they provide some shade during the hottest hours of the day.

[iast8]

When they are outside, they get full sun.

[Rogue11]

any way to provide shade or move them into a shady area during the hottest time of the day and see if that makes a difference?

[iast8]

I think if I move them closer to the railing of the deck, they may catch some shade from the tree thats there. Or, I could wait to put them outside until after I get home from work at 3:30 until they get bigger....

[iast8]

Okay. this really has me frustrated now. Today they still seem wilted, and maybe a little dry/papery around the very edges. I tool pictures, but am not sure how to post them here.

The really frustrating part is that my roommate also got a tomato plant when I did, which I am also taking care of, and of course that one is perfect.

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[iast8]

Pictures:



https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/218/img0996t.jpg/

https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/822/img0997w.jpg/

https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/190/img0998gp.jpg/

https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/827/img1003sd.jpg/

[TZ -OH6]

I looked at the pictures and don't see any wilting. Wilting will affect the main leaf stem and even the top of the stems (think limp noodle). You just have a little variation in the turgor of the lealets.

The crinkled looking leaves in the first two pictures look like rugose leaf foliage common to dwarf "tree" or "bush" type varieties. The short stem internodes between leaves also indicates a dwarf plant, which is good because that type of ring cage is only useful for dwarf tomatoes.

The second tomato looks like it might be a scrawny cherry type. A stake would be better for its thin vines.

[iast8]

The second one is a grape type, so you're right on there.

Looks like I got the worst varieties possible!

Think either of them will produce at all?

[TZ -OH6]

Why do you say they are the worst varieties possible? I would say that they are the best for container growing. Dwarf varieties can get to 4 ft high when planted in the ground and they tend not to over grow containers and stunt themselves the way full sized varieties do. They have sturdy stems and will stay upright until fruit weight pulls them over, which is why the ring cages work for them. Cherry tomatoes do well in containers because even if they are stunted they will still produce fruit.

[iast8]

Oh! Thats good to hear!! I will definatly be seeking some advice before my plantings next year though! Have to admit I'm really new at this and kind of decided to buy some transplants last minute and see what happened. Didn't know I would have so much fun with it and get so addicted!

Thanks for all your help

[iast8]

Okay, another question. I have my patio tomatoes planted in 5 gallon buckets - and its raining and I'm stuck at work. Ususally I bring them inside so they don't get TOO wet, how much rain can they take?

[Rogue11]

Did you put drainage holes into your buckets? If the extra rain water is able to drain from the soil you should be fine.

[iast8]

I guess I'm running a tomato flower garden. Tons of flowers and growth, but NO SIGN of fruit yet.

Except on the one plant I'm taking care of for someone else. Go figure.

Is this common or am I destined for a tomato-less summer with nice plants?

(One variety is "Bush Champion" the other is "Sugary" cherry type)

[TZ -OH6]

Spring flowers seem to take a while to set fruit in my garden.