Tomato problem, help...

cantari · Sat Jun 25, 2011 11:33 am

Hi all,

I am really new to growing my own veggies and such in my garden.

I have a few tomato plants that grew so great for a long time until they got quite large and now they leaves are turning yellow and eventually brown.

I took some pictures this am, but unfortunately didn't think to take pictures until I cut most of the dead branches off. There are still some visible in the pictures. Here is the link to 4 photos I took.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cantari/5869320725/

Any help on what exactly this could be caused from? I have seen some grubs in the ground but not sure they can cause this? Does it look like it needs more watering? It has been very hot here the last month or so (Panama City Beach, FL).

Any help appreciated!

John

johnny123 · Sat Jun 25, 2011 11:47 am

Give each plant with tomatoes on it a 1/2 gallon of water a day.
Give each plant 1 quart a day without tomatoes and see what happens.
Unless it rains.

Try to keep the soil moisture consistent.
Tomatoes do not like wet-dry-wet-dry.

Farmers that grow tomatoes, pumpkins ansd squash have a saying.

No matter how much water you gave them you probably didn't give them enough.

cantari · Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:40 pm

Thanks. So simply water could have been the reason for so many branches and leaves turning brown and shriveling up?

johnny123 · Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:50 pm

Yes, along with 800 other different things so go with the water first.
Pinch off all yellow and dead leaves and water them good and see what happens.
I take it they are planted in the ground.

johnny123 · Sat Jun 25, 2011 12:59 pm

Even 1/2 gallon a day without rain is sometimes not enough.
It all depends on your soil and how well the roots developed.

I have some very young pumpkin plants in the ground and the root system is no where near developed yet.
It rained for 2 days and on the third day the leaves were drooping.
Gave them a gallon of water and in 15 mins the leafs perked right up.

So even with alot of water roots are the biggest factor.

rainbowgardener · Sat Jun 25, 2011 2:47 pm

Good recommendations. But if you cut the affected leaves off and keep it well watered and the problem returns, it's probably some kind of fungal disease, which tomatoes are prone to.

Try spraying with one of the anti-fungals discussed here:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=208449#208449