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Post by scarfguy on Apr 16, 2024 9:28:12 GMT -5
Can anybody shed some light on my ongoing tomato problem?
All of my larger tomato crops continue to show the same deficiency symptoms. The leave are yellowed with green veins. This only starts to happen to older leaves that are towards the top of the plant. The bottom leaves are usually fine (or the yellowing slowly descends to reach them.)
It looks like classic magnesium deficiency but I've tried excessive amounts of both magnesium and calcium. Neither has made any improvement. I'm gonna try an iron suppliment next.
I'm also wondering if the light is too strong for the older leaves at the close distance. (sunburn)
I'm also not sure that it is not just normal behavior for an older plant as the fruit is ripening fine and not affected.
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Post by LoveSalads on Apr 16, 2024 10:39:58 GMT -5
Could just be sunburn but I always chalked it up to recourse allocation by the plant itself. It is doing what it needs to do. I have never had it kill any of my tomato plants and, it doesn't happen to every variety I grow. Some of mine grow into the light several times and never are affected.  20240416_112052 Veranda reds I guess I will pay more attention to my garden tomatoes this year but I think it happens there also. When I have lots of fruit on my plant that are in various stages of maturing is when I see this the most. |
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Post by lynnee on Apr 16, 2024 11:08:10 GMT -5
scarfguy, the spots on LoveSalads's tomatoes are sunburn or drying out from high room temps. I see that all the time on my cherry tomatoes in particular. No treatment necessary. The yellowing around the leaf veins on your tomatoes is definitely a deficiency. Iron or some other trace mineral is the most likely suspect. In addition to adding iron (isn't that the + in Cal-Mag+ ?), I would suggest pruning the tomatoes, to take some of the maintenance burden off the plants. In pruning, take off all the lower leaves that aren't getting light; any twisted growth in the middle of the plant wherever you see it; and any dying yellow leaves that the plant has given up on. Leave all the blooms, even if they stick up above the leaf canopy when you're done pruning. 
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Post by lynnee on Apr 16, 2024 11:15:00 GMT -5
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Post by scarfguy on Apr 16, 2024 12:30:09 GMT -5
If you look at the examples on the yara site you recommended. It surely looks like magnesium deficiency.
BUT... I've been adding 5ml of cal-mag two times a week PLUS 1/2 teaspoon of Epsom salts once a week PLUS a cal-mag supplement from RAW a couple of times (it is a lot stronger than GH Cal-mag).
Supposedly in addition to calcium and magnesium, these products should provide an abundant amount of iron but I'm gonna try a pure iron supplement today (as soon as the Amazon driver gets here).
I'm starting to believe that it is a characteristic of aerogarden growth that maybe can't be corrected?
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Post by lynnee on Apr 16, 2024 13:08:50 GMT -5
Supposedly in addition to calcium and magnesium, these products should provide an abundant amount of iron but I'm gonna try a pure iron supplement today (as soon as the Amazon driver gets here). I'm starting to believe that it is a characteristic of aerogarden growth that maybe can't be corrected?
It might also be a sulfur deficiency, which descends to lower leaves. In the past, I've always gotten the leaves to green up by adding something or other. However, there ARE limits to what you can do in an AG, I agree. That's why I suggested pruning. With tomatoes, leaving lots of leaves will reduce fruit production, even though the plant will grow new leaves fast. You don't need to reduce the branches, unless they're finished, but you do need to remove hopelessly yellowed leaves.  |
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slw
AGA Bounty
Posts: 846 
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Post by slw on Apr 16, 2024 20:59:43 GMT -5
Could just be sunburn but I always chalked it up to recourse allocation by the plant itself. It is doing what it needs to do. I have never had it kill any of my tomato plants and, it doesn't happen to every variety I grow. Some of mine grow into the light several times and never are affected. Agree. I've had this happen with certain varieties but it doesn't affect the plant or the fruit. I just trim the discolored leaves off. |
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Post by tompepper7 on Apr 17, 2024 22:38:51 GMT -5
One thing I have read about tomato nutrients is that the plants need to be getting the nutrients from the get go. When starting my latest tomatoes I did not start using the full nutrients for a number of weeks. I had a small issue with blossom end rot on a few early tomatoes. Next set of tomatoes I will use the complete nutrients from the beginning but a a lower dose.
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