Question
My tomato plants always look beautiful when I get them in the ground. I water and fertilize and then right after the plants flower they turn yellow and spindly and they don't fruit very well. What am I doing wrong?
Liz
San Bruno
Answer
Yellow and spindly tomatoes don't fruit that well do they? Believe it or
not, I suspect that you are loving your plants too much. Over watering
tomatoes will wash away all the nutrients you so lovingly applied, it also
reduces needed oxygen in root zone and makes the plant susceptible to
disease. Your plants should be deep watered 2 to 3 times a week. If the
plant is seen wilting in the middle of the day, ignore it. Tomatoes will
close their stomas in the heat of the day to prevent water loss by
transpiration. They will perk right back up by late afternoon. If the plants
look droopy in the morning, they need water. Too shady a location will also
cause plants to be spindly but you usually see that effect immediately. If
the leaves are showing some signs of browning, your plants may have
Verticillium or Fusarium wilt. These are soil borne pathogens and there is
no chemical control available. Warm and humid conditions will hasten the
onset of wilt. It is highly recommended that you plant tomatoes labeled
with "VF" (Verticillium/Fusarium) on the label as these are resistant
varieties. Should there be an "N", that means resistant to root knot
nematodes. Hope this helps for this year's crop!
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