Issues: Grape tomato plant deficiency? Also, Aphids running amok!

Discussion in 'Fruit and Vegetable Gardening' started by Sugarflower, Jun 17, 2009.

  1. Sugarflower

    Sugarflower Member

    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    We made a new flowerbed this spring to plant herbs and veggies in. Amongst the herbs we planted 4 tomato plants around the end of April: Bush Big Boy, Yellow Cherry, Red Cherry, and a Grape. They all seem to be doing well with the exception of our Grape tomato. It hasn't grown much, the lower leaves were starting to yellow a few weeks ago and are now browning.

    Could there be a nutrient deficiency going on here? We used top soil from Lowe's to fill the bed, which stated it was great for bedding plants and flowers, and assumed it was rich in nutrients since it had a black rich color to it. We haven't fertilized and we've been getting alot of rain off and on the past few weeks but the soil looks like it drains well.

    The only bug pests I've noticed are aphids but I do not see any on the tomatoes or any other plants, they only seem to favor my Chamomile which is currently infested by them and the ants that 'graze' on the little buggers. Which brings up my next question. What is a good DIY aphid control? I've read that you can spray a mixture of soap and water onto them which will wash away their waxy coating and cause them to dehydrate.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,669
    Likes Received:
    100
    Location:
    Brantford,Ontario, Canada
    That tomato plant looks great to me. It appearance is vigorous and healthy and the stem is large, always a good indicator. Yellowing of the leaves is probably too much water at one time, but of no real concern. I would simply remove the yellow leaves.

    Everybody has aphids, soapy water is a good control, and a blast of water will remove many.
     
  3. comradea

    comradea Member

    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    If the aphids get out of hands, try buying a package of ladybugs... My sister paid something like seven bucks for 200... (which we think is obscene since they're like, bugs)... and scatter them around the infested plants... apparently their off springs like to feast on the offsprings of aphids... Organic warfare it is... but it's organic...

    Your grape tomato also looks fine... the part of yellowing might be just one sub-branch of the roots perhaps running into a small air pocket or something like that, or perhaps like Durgan say, too much water (!)... Either way, it's healing itself fine and moving along... Not to worry...

    Cheers !!
     
  4. Acoma

    Acoma Active Member

    Messages:
    177
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Reno, Nevada Zone 6A
    Regarding ladybugs, they are like teenagers, they split easily. I would say to also look around open garden areas for the ladybug larvae. These tend to stay in the area of food and are the most furocious of the eaters of aphids. Get a container, spend some time in your area and you will find plenty. These will become the ladybugs, that create more larvae, etc..... Trust me, this route totally controlls aphids.

    As for squash bugs, get some toads and homes in the garden for them. Look up the details on making them happy. They will make you happy many times over by going nuts on those pests.
     
  5. jessmister04

    jessmister04 Member

    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Moorpark, Ca
    My tomato plant looked similiar so I took a leaf down to my local nursey. They told me that it was hungery and wanted food. So they gave me biosoil and organic fertilizer and epsom salt(100% magnesium and told me to add 6 tums tablets crushed up(that's right tums for stomach aches which is 100% calcium which is beneficial for the plants). They also did mention that it wasn't getting enough water and they told me to give the tomato plant an inch of water per feeding and to stick my finger a inch into the soil and don't water unless its dry. I follwered the instructions and have tomatoes twice as big as the stores brandywines. I will post pics soon of 2lb plus tomatoes. Good Luck
     
  6. Sugarflower

    Sugarflower Member

    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    We were thinking of trying epsom salt but haven't done so yet. The little tomato plant has only grown two inches since my last initial posting and with growing season almost over I wonder if it's to late to try it? The other tomatoes are doing great and producing a lot of tomatoes. Thanks for the help!
     
  7. Acoma

    Acoma Active Member

    Messages:
    177
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Reno, Nevada Zone 6A
    Jessmister04, it amazes me that people say to stick your finger in one inch only to see if moist. These same people say one inch per week. My criticism to this is what about high and low temps for the week to counter the watering. Also, plants don't grow only one inch deep. If they do, you have serious issues. Deep watering with moist soil many inches down is how one should judge. To do this, occasionally scoop down into the soil to test moistness. Please do not trust the one inch only method, you will stress the plant, produce less and waist time.
     
  8. janetdoyle

    janetdoyle Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    629
    Likes Received:
    4
    Location:
    Victoria [Saanich, actually, northeast of Victoria
    Growing season over in West Virginia did you say? Is there not more time to grow there? Keep fertilized as advised, with high nitrogen and potassium [I think I read that too high phosphorus, and magnesium phosphate, I believe, is Epsom Salts, is disliked by cherry tomatoes]. Any tomato I have seen bearing, or had in my gardens, looks messy -- it's not an ornamental plant no matter how charming the magazines make them look!
     

Share This Page