nopeda
Full Member
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:34 am
Location: Buford, GA - USA

Leaf Curl/Root Rot/BER???

I always grow in round containers about 18"x18" and try to let my plants dry out before watering in order to avoid root rot. Here in GA it's been very hot lately so watering has been about 5 gallons every other day with some of the plants being very droopy by then, but others still looking strong. I always have leaf curl problems and BER especially at the start of the season, but never have had root rot problems afaik. Might it be better to water every day and never worry about root rot? I use MG moisture control potting mix. Last year I tried the non-moisture control and had a bad year so don't want to go back to that.

Thank you for any help!
David

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I usually have more problems with the moisture control especially when it starts raining. But if it works for you, then why not. I grow in 18 gallon containers (muck buckets), and I water every day. My mix is either MG potting soil without moisture control or peatlite with fertilizer. Currently I have tomato food, so I am using it. 1/2 cup as a starter and a tablespoon a month.

Since my mix dries out well and I have put extra holes in the sides of the containers, I don't have problems with wilting or BER and I water every one or two days depending on how hot it has been. Lately, I have been watering daily. I have Beefsteak, sungold, and red cherry. I only need three plants, but I have a couple of wild cherry tomatoes growing in my gardens.

Sometimes BER is more common with some varieties, it is not really a problem with the heat resistant ones that I grow.

If your plant is wilting then I don't think you are over watering, so I would not worry about root rot, but the wilting may be why your plants are more prone to BER.

I think if you can figure out a watering schedule or mulch the tomatoes so that the vines don't wilt, it may go a long way in controlling BER. Are your containers on a concrete pad or exposed to the wind? Those conditions will make the pots dry out faster.

My tomatoes are in pots and the vines are supported by CRW cages. The pots are located on the East side of the vegetable garden so the base of the pots are in the shade of other plants and the other side faces the house. This way my pots stay cooler while the heads of the tomatoes can still be in full sun. I have used newspaper and cut up MG bags with the white side out for mulch to control weeds and conserve water. I have used a watering tube, but I don't have it in now and I don't do it consistently and I still rarely have BER problems as long as my tomatoes don't wilt in the heat of the day.

nopeda
Full Member
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:34 am
Location: Buford, GA - USA

The containers are on a wooden dock in a marina. The containers are dark blue but I wrapped them in white cloth so they don't get so hot. They have a lot of drainage holes drilled into the bottom and 2"x2" boards screwed to the bottom of them so they don't sit directly on the dock. They have a 1/2" conduit frame built around them and the vines are tied up with twine suspended from it.

Thank you for your help!
David



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