One of my EBs planted with tomatoes is getting quite a few purplish leaves. Seems healthy other than the purple leaves. After doing some searches I have found the problem. My leaves look exactly like this http://plantdiagnostics.umd.edu/level3.cfm
Now, my question is.....how should I rectify this?
1. Miracle Grow 15-30-15 water soluble fertilizer in the reservoir?
2. Jam some Fertilizer spikes (8-24-8) in the soil?
3. Peal back the cover and add some slow-released fertilizer(15-30-15)?
4. Peal back the cover and add a cup of EB fertilizer(7-7-7)?
5. Buy some foilure fertilizer?
There's a few dozen tomatoes forming on the 2 plants so I don't want to over fertilize. I never fertilize when fruit is forming but I think this time I might have to.
This message was edited Apr 19, 2009 9:31 PM
Need some advice. Phosphorus deficiency in one of my EBs...
Ah crap....the link didn't take you to the pic. Here's exactly what my leaves look like...
Sure looks like it. Cool temperatures wouldn't seem to be the problem for the plants not taking up enough phosphorus where you live so I would go for #3. Did it myself last spring when peppers lagged in an EB . It did no harm and may have done some good. Didn't use the Miracle Grow but a bloom boost with a similiar N-P-K ratio (15-50-15 I think) because that is what I had on hand. Did use half the recommended 1 tablespon per gallon diluation rate.
Ray, what kind of growing medium are you using in the EB? And what kind of fertilizer did you start with when you set it all up? Also, did you add any lime to your grow-mix and if so, how much?
Shoe
It's all EB stuff. In this box, I'm using their mix, their fertilizer(7-7-7) and their lime(2 cups). This box was setup in mid January, so it's been going for 4 months.
My goodness, aren't you up pretty early? You must be itchin' to get gardening!
Thanks for the info. I was wondering if you had added anything to the potting mix that might be taking away from the nutrients.
I think I'd go the foliar spray route, using fish emulsion, kelp, or the like (M-gro?) so the plant can get what it needs pronto. A foliar spray will quickly bypass the root system and get on with the program. And speaking of roots, I wonder if your plants were in an area of high wind recently; if they got tossed about that would've severed some of the roots and certainly slow down phosphorus uptake.
The only other thing I can think of would be too much lime or the lime wasn't well-mixed into the soil and some of the roots are in a patch of it.
Shoe
Yeah, I woke up a little before 5 today. I always seem to wake up way too early while on vacation.
I'm gonna go check out what the nursery has for sprays. Speaking of wind and cool temps. We had them last weekend. Wind gusts up to 45 mph and 45 degree temps at night for about 3 days. But the leaves were a little purple before that so I don't think that is the cause but I bet it sure didn't help.