Newbie can't afford to lose all her container tomatoes!! - Page 2

Dewayne mater · April 3, 2014

Lots of good advice so far. One thing I'm wondering about is you say they are in full sun. I'm not sure how hot is it there now, but, if it is hot and they are in full sun in small containers it would be fairly easy to over heat them, especially if the surface they are on heats up like concrete does. If you are moving them, do you have the option for them to get 8 hours of sun starting in the morning and ending by 3 or so? If you have them on concrete, I'd put them on grass instead. If the root zone is getting direct sun on it, the soil temp can really heat up in any container and I'd bet even more so in a small container. I had an issue with the root zone overheating because the tainers were on concrete and getting full sun (in was in May/June though) and found that moving them to be on grass and be shaded in the hottest part of the day did wonders. Before doing that, I had all kinds of problems, not the least of which was tremendous BER on the fruit that set. So, this may not be your issue yet, but, I'd keep it in mind for when your plants do start setting fruit.

Dewayne mater

aflatea · April 4, 2014

Dewayne mater -- they are on the east side of my house and are in the sun from about 7am-3pm, then they get shaded by the roof as the sun moves west. I do have an area in front of my house on the east side that I can move them to. It's only gotten into the mid 80's so far and 50/60s at night, but the muggy nastiness is just around the corner. When it gets hotter (90-95), should I have them in the sun for less time? There's no escaping the humidity though.

aflatea · April 4, 2014

I saw Daconil at Walmart -- I will have to pick some up. I'm glad to hear that it doesn't look like something fungal.

Dewayne mater · April 4, 2014

That sounds perfect. My tainers get something similar. Doesn't matter in Spring like temps, but, will help a bunch when it is 95 plus. Good luck.

Fiishergurl · April 4, 2014

Speaking of the containers heating up, what would be good to shade them with? I was thinking of bamboo fence cut to about the height of the containers and wrapped around them but didn't know if that would cool them or bake them more. I am in Central Florida also and its been getting up to 85 and the plants are already complaining (leaf curl during the afternoon that subsides in the evening).

Ginny

Stvrob · April 4, 2014

How warm has it been there? In Jacksonville, it has really only started getting warm in the past 2 weeks.

Fiishergurl · April 4, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stvrob

How warm has it been there? In Jacksonville, it has really only started getting warm in the past 2 weeks.

I'm 2 hours south of you. It hit 85 yesterday but should cool off to the mid 70s when that next front comes through in a few days. But the 90s are not far away.

Ginny

Dewayne mater · April 4, 2014

I shade my tainers with a bamboo roll up shade I bought several years ago at H.D. They will stand up on their side and wrap around those large totes earthtainers are made from. They have held up in outdoor conditions for 3-4 years now and are still fine. They may not be scaled well for you container, but, if you can find one that is, they are effective.

Sun City Linda · April 4, 2014

I grow in Earthboxes and somebody said to get the sheets of Styrofoam and cut to fit. Sounds like a great solution. Also, I just remembered I saw those roll up bamboo mats at the 99cents only store, they should wrap around pots just fine!

Fiishergurl · April 4, 2014

Cool. Will check them out. Im using the 18 gallon containers from home depot so not as big as the ones Dewayne Mater is using.. thanks for the replies.... :-)

Ginny

Stvrob · April 4, 2014

I mentioned the weather as a possible suggestion to why your tomatoes haven't put on the growth you were expecting. Has the past month been warm enough for tomatoes there? In JAX, its really been a bit too cold, I only put plants in the ground last week, my last frost was March 14, nearly a month later than average, and lots cold days until last week.

Goldie321 · April 18, 2014

The cool nights we've been getting is probably slowing down your growth as well (I'm to the south of you in Brooksville and you get a little cooler than we do up there). I noticed a couple of your leaves are touching the soil. I was advised to clip those leaves since you don't want them touching - supposed to be an avenue for creating an overly damp atmosphere for the leaves (mold, bacteria growth etc.) We have a great source for local gardening info on a Facebook page "Florida Backyard Vegetable Gardener". She's located in Brooksville and has a booth at the Hernando County Farmer's Market on Saturdays in Spring Hill on US 19 by Rural King.

oldasrocks · April 25, 2014

The plants I'm seeing in the pics aren't even grown up yet. Be patient.

Goldie321 · April 27, 2014

Didn't read all the earlier messages and just realized I'd already commented. We are just starting to get normal - or close normal - overnight temps so you should start seeing more growth.

Ed of Somis · April 27, 2014

I can see everyone has jumped on this thread...and you might be confused. I am not in Florida...but I understand your weather there. Sun City made some great points, especially. I have tried to get the word out here...that people need to stop putting rocks, gravel, marbles, etc. at the bottom of their pots. Long story short: It doen NOT help drainage. Use a free-draining mix (not moisture control type). Keep your plants from getting wet leaves, also. Toms get fungal diseases easily (I have heard Florida might have humidity already).

April 27, 2014	#29
Goldie321 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Florida USA Posts: 116	Didn't read all the earlier messages and just realized I'd already commented. We are just starting to get normal - or close normal - overnight temps so you should start seeing more growth. Last edited by Goldie321; April 27, 2014 at 12:57 PM.

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April 3, 2014	#16
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Lots of good advice so far. One thing I'm wondering about is you say they are in full sun. I'm not sure how hot is it there now, but, if it is hot and they are in full sun in small containers it would be fairly easy to over heat them, especially if the surface they are on heats up like concrete does. If you are moving them, do you have the option for them to get 8 hours of sun starting in the morning and ending by 3 or so? If you have them on concrete, I'd put them on grass instead. If the root zone is getting direct sun on it, the soil temp can really heat up in any container and I'd bet even more so in a small container. I had an issue with the root zone overheating because the tainers were on concrete and getting full sun (in was in May/June though) and found that moving them to be on grass and be shaded in the hottest part of the day did wonders. Before doing that, I had all kinds of problems, not the least of which was tremendous BER on the fruit that set. So, this may not be your issue yet, but, I'd keep it in mind for when your plants do start setting fruit. Dewayne mater

April 4, 2014	#17
aflatea Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Homosassa, Florida Posts: 12	Dewayne mater -- they are on the east side of my house and are in the sun from about 7am-3pm, then they get shaded by the roof as the sun moves west. I do have an area in front of my house on the east side that I can move them to. It's only gotten into the mid 80's so far and 50/60s at night, but the muggy nastiness is just around the corner. When it gets hotter (90-95), should I have them in the sun for less time? There's no escaping the humidity though.

April 4, 2014	#20
Fiishergurl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Oak Hill, Florida Posts: 1,781	Speaking of the containers heating up, what would be good to shade them with? I was thinking of bamboo fence cut to about the height of the containers and wrapped around them but didn't know if that would cool them or bake them more. I am in Central Florida also and its been getting up to 85 and the plants are already complaining (leaf curl during the afternoon that subsides in the evening). Ginny

April 4, 2014	#21
Stvrob Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,413	How warm has it been there? In Jacksonville, it has really only started getting warm in the past 2 weeks.

April 4, 2014	#24
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	I grow in Earthboxes and somebody said to get the sheets of Styrofoam and cut to fit. Sounds like a great solution. Also, I just remembered I saw those roll up bamboo mats at the 99cents only store, they should wrap around pots just fine!

April 18, 2014	#27
Goldie321 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Florida USA Posts: 116	The cool nights we've been getting is probably slowing down your growth as well (I'm to the south of you in Brooksville and you get a little cooler than we do up there). I noticed a couple of your leaves are touching the soil. I was advised to clip those leaves since you don't want them touching - supposed to be an avenue for creating an overly damp atmosphere for the leaves (mold, bacteria growth etc.) We have a great source for local gardening info on a Facebook page "Florida Backyard Vegetable Gardener". She's located in Brooksville and has a booth at the Hernando County Farmer's Market on Saturdays in Spring Hill on US 19 by Rural King.

April 25, 2014	#28
oldasrocks Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Lebanon, Mo Posts: 59	The plants I'm seeing in the pics aren't even grown up yet. Be patient.

April 27, 2014	#30
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	I can see everyone has jumped on this thread...and you might be confused. I am not in Florida...but I understand your weather there. Sun City made some great points, especially. I have tried to get the word out here...that people need to stop putting rocks, gravel, marbles, etc. at the bottom of their pots. Long story short: It doen NOT help drainage. Use a free-draining mix (not moisture control type). Keep your plants from getting wet leaves, also. Toms get fungal diseases easily (I have heard Florida might have humidity already).