Growing tomatoes in containers. 4 gallon square. 5 plants produced 12 tomatoes total and then the plants started to dry up. They get about a half gallon of water per day in two waterings. The containers have numerouse holes in the bottom and lower sides for drainage. The plants get about 5 hours of direct sun daily from East to Noon. Is there a gardener that can give me some advice? Pics included.
This really isn't the best forum for your question. As you are a subscriber, I'd recommend the Tomatoes forum: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/tomatoes/all/. (Non-subscribers could try Beginner Vegetables for similar questions http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/b_veggies/all/)
If the Trussies ( flowering stems ) are not setting ( producing toms from flower ) try shaking the plants around noon when the pollen will be setting at it's best and will move from plant to plant. Humidity is a big problem - they will flower and then the flower just drops off before setting. Toms are gross feeders and need plenty of fertiliser ( try Dave's Classic Fertiliser - not this Dave's site) Otherwise go out at Midnight and talk to them! Regards.
Well there you go Tom has all the answers for you - and sites! But you still have to talk to them! Bayleaf.
Tough. Tom, Tomatoe plants are Gross feeders and need loads of food !! Glad to hear that you are modest and underweight. I guess you only grow Cherry Toms.! I am not sure how I am being rude ???
Goodness. A lighter DG moment. :) My first inclination was to suggest not growing them sideways. Regarding Bayleaf's toms being gross feeders...mine have always been ever so polite.
An aside; are those cat litter buckets, Rosie? Considering the mid-nineties temperatures in Kenner these past weeks and that your tomatoes are in buckets which get hotter than plants in ground, toms might be tired though not glutinous.
They look really stressed out. Are you making sure the soil is dry before you water. 2x every day is a lot of water. Even if they are wilting during mid day heat, it doesn't mean they need water. The leaves just can't bring up water from the roots fast enough and they wilt even if they are watered. Just a thought.
Hi, May, Yes I had that problem as well. I just thought that it was an American thing !!! So what do you use for fertilser? OK. Read Gross Feeders as Heavey Feeders - for the American Audience. The plants are drying out faster than they are getting water - we have an English Gardening Saying - Little and Often!!! I hope that that was a bit lighter for you. But then we could all grow LUPINS. and have fun. Bayleaf.
Hydro. Good point !
Also - 5 hours of sun a day is probably not enough... can you move them so they get 6+ hours?
The two outside rows of this section of the kitchen garden are tomatoes. There are nine on each side. Another section has eighteen more. About twenty five varieties. These tomatoes are growing in Georgia clay, amended with lime and bone meal and a shovel full of green manure (house, yard and garden compost). We grow year 'round. I grew up gardening in more sandy soil and hard water with the inherent problems of nematodes and poor nutrients.
I agree with Tom...the best place for answers to tomato questions is on the tomato forum. One of the benefits of being a subscriber is the exchange and access to information from experts.
Rosiegarden: Either your plant has grown enough for this season & died, or it was too hot for it, or it was not watered enough. Either way, it decided to die. Also, the roots might have been attacked by a mole. I have some plants also that did that, & the other plants are doing just fine.
Rosie, your plants are looking for more light and also could benefit from a good feeding. Although I'm not in the same camp as Bayleaf and "toms are gross feeders? yours certainly need something more than what you've fed them. (Tomatoes are actually one of the plants in the veggie garden that prefer very little fertilizer/plant food unless you are using a water soluble fertilizer that is washed out with each watering.)
Also, four gallon buckets are borderline for a nice healthy tomato plant. Lastly, the soil/medium that you are using will come into play as well. Can you elaborate on what you used?
Bayleaf, TomH3787 was making a joke. His name is "Tom" and was joking about your statement "Toms are gross feeders". I think it went over your head but I assure you, having met him he was definitely joking. In other words, you weren't being rude, just caught up in the written word w/out standard conversational inflections and smiles.
Welcome aboard, by the way. I haven't seen you around the site much. And I hope you post pics of your lupins, I love 'em!
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