pzak640
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What is wrong with my tomato plants?

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I'm not sure why some of my tomato plants are looking like this. They are getting watered at least once a day , full sun and fertilizer once a week or two. It looks like the leaves on the top are shriveling. I've got 4 potted plants and 9 in the ground. Only some of the potted and some in the ground are being affected. Any ideas?
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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Wow, that looks a bit like effects from herbicide. Is that possible? Do the ones affected in the ground and containers represent a pattern like they got caught in a swath or spray drift or leaching run-off?

Also, "watered at least once a day" and "fertilizer once a week or two" caught my eye.

Needing to water once a day is probable with mature fruiting container tomato, but more than once a day might hint at root bound plants in too small containers. Container tomatoes may also perform better if they are given noon day or afternoon shade. In the ground, usually if you need to water that often, or even once a day, it's quite likely you are not watering deeply enough each time, or your garden beds aren't mulched sufficiently.

Fertilizer should be applied in dilute concentration at that frequency, but it really depends on what kind of fertilizer. Once every two weeks seem like the most frequent I tend to think appropriate. Also, if using salt/chemical fertilizer, too much may cause build up in containers and burn the plants.

pzak640
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I do have a rock lawn in the front of the yard that I sprayed with weed killer. However, the tomatoes are at least 15 yards away and there didn't seem to be any wind when I sprayed last about a 3 weeks ago. And the rest of my garden seems unaffected by it. I suppose it could be plausible though. A couple of the plants on the perimeter do look affected. Is there anything I could do to treat them if that is the case?

TZ -OH6
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Location: Mid Ohio

In the absence of herbicide I would say culty top virus or similar. And the plants should be pulled in either case because if the herbicide was that bad the plant won't recover.


I spray Roundup within inches of my garden plants. You need an actual gust of wind with droplets in it to do damage. I.e. a idiot neighbor spraying the plants by accident. The smell of the stuff or a little speck of liquid won't do much to the plant. Lawn herbicies (weed and feed sorts) stay active in the soil for many months and roots can grow into a contaminated area and mess up the plant. Same thing with poison from walnut tree roots.



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