Re: [tomato] problems!!!

Greg Park (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Fri, 23 Jul 1999 09:44:41 -0700 

Hi Linda,

I also have attempted growing toms in containers for the past few years,
also with the same frustration....BER one year and blights the other.  This
year, however I've managed to get some tomatoes.  I live in Southern
California and the weather has been very variable this year.  As my maters
are on my roof deck, I sometimes get lazy and don't haul 5 gal of water up
there.  So a month back I asked the list how to keep the plants well watered
to avoid the dreaded BER.

One lister told be to just put a shallow pan beneath each pot and let it
fill it with water.  This has worked for me.  It supposedly promotes
downward growth of roots, which I imagine helps as the soil at the bottom is
the last to dry out.  I haven't experienced any symptoms of root rot either.

Good luck,

Greg
-----Original Message-----
From: Lindakj219@aol.com <Lindakj219@aol.com>
To: tomato@GlobalGarden.com <tomato@GlobalGarden.com>
Date: Friday, July 23, 1999 2:06 AM
Subject: [tomato] problems!!!


>I have tomatoes growing in pots. What causes the leaves to curl upward? The
>Beefsteaks have the problem, but the Celebrities do not. Further problems:
>One of my gardners sprayed my roses with a strong solution of Malathion
(50%
>strength) and sprayed the tomatoes too which burned some of the leaves and
>completely wiped out most all of the blooms. He also fed the roses with a
>very high nitrogen fertilizer, and you guessed it, the tomatoes also. He
said
>it was a very slow release nitrogen, would last for 3 months. I know that
>will increase the vine growth, but I wanted to increase the potassium level
>for friut production. What can I do now, if anything? Up until this
happened,
>I'd been watering 1 gal per plant daily in a.m., then had to add another
gal
>in p.m. when it got very hot, as they were wilting by morning.  I was using
>Miracle Grow, 1/2 strength once a week. Now I don't know what to do except
>water. Any suggestions?
>I had a real problem with blossem end rot in previous years and I know it
is
>often caused by uneven watering, so should I still continue the 2 gals, now
>that it has cooled off? It has been unseasonably cool for this time of year
>and is expected to continue for at least another week.
>I would really appreciate any help you can offer.
>Thanks so much.
>Linda