What's I Got?

[BigdaddyJ]

Here's a pic of a leaf cluster on my New Big Dwarf plant. I am growing this plant indoors in a very sunny window through the winter. It is producing nice tomatoes. Most of the foliage is fine but at the bottom of the plant I am finding this disease starting on lower branches. This plant has NEVER been outdoors. It's growing in Pro Mix and only gets a little fish/kelp fertilizer. I grow organically. What's I got?

[amideutch]

BigDaddyj, don't think you have a disease problem, probably a nutrient problem. This is taken from "Plant Physiology Fourth Edition". Ami

The interaction between nutrient mobility in the plant, and plant growth rate can be a major factor influencing the type and location of deficiency symptoms that develop. For very mobile nutrients such as nitrogen and potassium, deficiency symptoms develop predominantly in the older and mature leaves. This is a result of these nutrients being preferentially mobilized during times of nutrient stress from the older leaves to the newer leaves near the growing regions of the plant. Additionally, mobile nutrients newly acquired by the roots are also preferentially translocated to new leaves and the growing regions. Thus old and mature leaves are depleted of mobile nutrients during times of stress while the new leaves are maintained at a more favorable nutrient status.

[Wi-sunflower]

Yes, the yellowing on the leaf looks rather like Nitrogen deficeincy (sp). The browing could also just be what is called "sinescience" (sp?) which just means natural old age of that part of the plant.

If you have ever seen an older commercial greenhouse tomato plant, they will often have a 5 ft long empty stem laying on the ground. That is the older part of the plant that only serves to feed the upper part of the plant and is a natural part of the plant ageing.

Potted plants need much more care with fertilizer as much of the nutrients are washed out with the frequent watering and the plant can't just go "mining" for more.

Personally with my transplants and larger potted plants in the greenhouse, I use what is called "constant feed" in my water. That's where there is a very weak solution of fertilizer in a tank I use for watering ALL the time.

[BigdaddyJ]

Ahaaa, thanx guys. I am happy it's not a blight, spec, spot, mold or anything like that. What you both say this could be I can certainly live with. This now makes sense. None of the pics at that tomato problem solving site looked like what I had. I am going to step up the fert treatment a touch.

Also, I am not getting great fruit set despite shaking the bejeebers out of my plant at least 3 times per day. Only 9 fruit have set so far on this plant. I am losing entire clusters, they just wither away before even flowering. Maybe it's the variety I chose this year, New Big Dwarf. Last two winters I gre Momotaro's and before that Big Beef but there is too much pruning with indeterminates grown indoors. Maybe I should have stuck to Red Robins but I plain got sick of them! LOL I need a REAL tomato in winter. Anyway, it sure is nice getting a few nice tomatoes in December through March... Here's my NBD plant about a week ago:

[Wi-sunflower]

OK, the lack of fruit set could be a couple of reasons.

1 - the light level in the winter, in the house could be a bit low for the plant, especially a variety that wants to make a big tomato. Be sure it's in your best window. But if there have been several cloudy days, you might need to add a grow light.

2 - The humidity level in the house during heating season could be too low for the pollen to be viable long enough for the flowers to set. Misting with a spray bottle a couple of times / day might help.

If your pot isn't part of an auto-watering system, you could set the pot in something deep enough so that you can set the pot on top of a couple of bricks and then have water below. That will help keep the humidity in that area a bit higher than in the rest of the house.

Maybe some others have other systems they use to keep the humidity up. Possibly a small humidifier of some kind.

[BigdaddyJ]

Hey sunflower, thanx, all good advice. Yes it IS dry in winter in this heated room. The window is a huge bay window that allows east, south and west sun because of the curve of the window. Like I mentioned, I've been doing this for years indoors without any artificial lighting. I will try the misting for more fruit set. Thanx!