Over Watering Tomato Plants

[GREYBUDGIE]

Could anyone please show me pictures or describe the effects of over watering tomato plants? I think it is occurring to two of my plants but the symptoms of both are different. I would love to see pictures of what it looks like to be sure. I have searched the forum but could not locate an existing topic for it.

One plant is yellowing from the bottom up with small brown patches on the edges of the leaves. I removed the saucer under the pot, stopped giving it any water at all and I think the leaves are returning green. So I am guessing overwatering. The other plant has rather small sized 'slim' leaves and the edges curl in slightly with all the leaf stems pointing 'up' severely. This is a Tigerella and I haven't grown this variety before - do they have narrowish leaves compared to others?

The plants are maybe 1.5 feet tall and only just flowering. I am is QLD Aus so still winter here, days are 26C and nights about 10C. Pots are 50-60L with good quality potting mix 'designed for tomato's' according to bags.......lol.

Thank you for any advice

[RayR]

Sure, here's a plant in-ground that is suffering from excessive rain in an area that has insufficient drainage to handle that much water at once. Leaves turn yellow to light green from the bottom up, same symptoms as Nitrogen deficiency, because that's what it is. Roots need oxygen as well as water. Without sufficient Oxygen, root hairs begin to die, transpiration is limited so water and dissolved nutrients can not be drawn up. Yellow branches will show necrotic areas and eventually fall off. Leaf curling up can also occur, but not always.
If the condition goes long enough, then wilting will occur.

[amideutch]

Over watering in open containers should not occur as long as adequate drainage is provided. You can always drill a hole on the side of the container about 1" to 1 1/2 inch up from the bottom so in case the bottom drain holes get blocked or you put a saucer underneath the container it will still drain.

I have used 5 gal buckets and did not put holes in the bottom but a couple on the side as described above and never had any drainage problems plus it provides a small reservoir at the bottom from which the plant can draw water from kind of like an SWT (Self Watering Container).

Ami

[GREYBUDGIE]

RayR, Thank you so much for that picture, it is almost a carbon copy of mine! I will be good now and not over water... I had a very deep saucer under the pot so definitely too wet.

I will wait to see what the second plant is doing.... It isn't going yellow, just necrosis as you said around the edges of the leaves, purple veins underneath and most all the stems and leaves point directly vertical. It reminds me of when you have pulled a plastic christmas tree out of the box and haven't fluffed out the branches yet... lol.

But thank you both for your replies

[RayR]

I've noticed that not all cultivars will show the same symptoms to over-watering or under-watering for that matter. The common symptom is stalled or slow growth, some cultivars may exhibit yellowing branches, some may show purpling under the leaves, the classic sign of phosphorous deficiency, some may show both symptoms at the same time or other symptoms and some may show little or no leaf symptoms.
Assuming the gardener takes the appropriate steps to fix the water stress problem, you also have to make sure you are fertilizing the soil properly. Foliar feeding can help temporarily mitigate some of the nutrient deficiencies while the roots recover also.

[Ed of Somis]

do not over-look what A has posted regarding proper potting mix. He is correct!