Patrol_4x4
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Location: Jabiru

Tomatoes in pots wilting

Hi everyone!
I've got tomato plants both in my garden bed and in pots. The ones in the garden bed are doing ok, but the ones in the pots are wilting all of a sudden. I am thinking it could be that the pots have become just too small and that there are no nutrients in the soil anymore. I give them seasol every week, so I am a bit confused... What do you guys think??

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rainbowgardener
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Location: TN/GA 7b

How big are the pots?

Tomatoes don't do well in pots less than 5 gallon size, preferably more.

Yours could be getting root bound. Also small pots dry out really fast. I don't know how hot it is where you are. In heat of summer where I am, when I tried tomatoes in containers, they needed water twice a day. Then all that watering flushes nutrients out, so they need a lot of added nutrients.

I don't know what seasol is, so I have no idea if it is adequate nutrition for your plants.

Patrol_4x4
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Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:21 am
Location: Jabiru

Hmmmmm... I don't know the volume of the pots, but since 1 gallon is 5 litres aprox., I think the pots are not big enough, maybe they are 4 gallons?? Oh god, the other day I could have bought bigger pots but then decided not to... So I hope they sell big ones in the only market in town...

Seasol is a garden health treatment made out of seaweed concentrate. It says it stimulates root developement (oops!), promotes healthy growth, enhances flowering and fruiting, increases resistance to heat, drought, frost, pest and disease. ( yes, it's quite hot here but cool at night).

I also use a slow release granular fertiliser ( to be used once a month). Te composition is N9.0, P 2.0, K 4.0 plus organic trace elements.

Sometimes I also use some water that I have in a big trash container with food scraps, grass clippings and brown leaves to water the plants.

I haven't had any problem at all with the plants, they were doing great until 4 days ago. I am scared of watering them too much because I have had problems with overwatering so I always check the soil and only water when it is completely dry.

Patrol_4x4
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Posts: 49
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:21 am
Location: Jabiru

Hey!! I have just checked the plant, it looks fine again!!! I watered them all ( more than usual) earlier in the morning, like 3 hours ago, and they definitely look much better :D

striperbware
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Location: Beacon, NY

If you still have room for it in the container, put mulch in on top of the soil and this will hold moisture in the soil - the same as it does in gound planting. This will nearly or completely eliminate late-in-the-day wilting on days without any rain. I learned this through experience.



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