The Yellows

[Labradors2]

Is this a nutrient deficiency or a disease? I sprayed this plant with a little bleach two days ago and now it looks awful. I know it had a little Septoria......

It's a compact plant, growing in a 3 gallon container. I used Pro-mix for veggies which contains nutrients, and I sprinkled some MG shake 'n bake (slow release fert) on it a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday I watered with some regular MG, although it didn't mix very well in the watering can and I found a lot of blue crystals in the bottom .

Sorry that the pics aren't great. The close up leaf is out of focus and the picture of the whole plant was taken when all three pots were close together (as I had brought them under the awning because we were expecting a storm). This plant's leaves are the worst as they are pretty much ALL yellow, and those of it's companions are also showing a lot of yellowing.

What should I do?

Linda

[b54red]

That yellowing looks a lot like mite damage or even heavy aphid or whitefly damage. Of course it could be fusarium wilt but that isn't common up north. It doesn't look like anything I have ever seen after spraying with a bleach spray. Of course I guess it could be Septoria but I cant see the leaves that well in the picture. When I have had Septoria bad in the past it does cause a good bit of yellowing of the affected leaves. Possible that it is a nutrient deficiency as well.

Bill

[RayR]

It does look like spider Mite damage.
Linda, the bottom of the leaf tells all, and a 10X or better magnifier will verify if it's spider mites.

[zipcode]

It is a good possibility to be spider mites, but by the purple tinge looks more like serious deficiency of everything (aka starvation).
Can happen to root bound plants, plants that haven't been fertilized at all in containers, or something bad happened to the roots and they can't absorb well (I'm inclined towards root bound). At this stage seems a bit late to return them to glory, no matter what the causes are. A foliar feeding would maybe help but there's barely any good leaf area left.

[Labradors2]

Many thanks guys.

It's not spider mites or other insect damage. I checked with a magnifying glass.

I wondered if I had over-watered, although the pots have drainage holes and I never see water streaming out, so I thought I was gauging it about right. Nevertheless, I backed off on the watering (just in case) and now it's even worse with obviously dead leaves that I will remove. These are container plants that were started in February, so I will just take the tomatoes that they give me and be thankful.

Diagnosis: possibly root-bound. Thanks Zipcode!

Linda

[zipcode]

Are you using a decent potting mix? (fluffy, preferably coarse, etc)

[TexasTycoon]

This page has been very beneficial to me in identifying nutrient deficiency: http://www.haifa-group.com/knowledge...ency_symptoms/

I'm no expert, but it looks like a deficiency to me. I think you're going to want to look into a food more targeted for tomatoes (i.e. Texas Tomato Food, Tomato Tone, MG for Tomatoes, etc.) to help balance your nutrients. I would also suggest using the food as a foliar in addition to drench to help speed nutrient uptake.

[b54red]

I it is a nutrient deficiency then I would highly recommend Texas Tomato Food. It also works just as well on peppers and all other vegetables. Any I have left at the end of the tomato season gets used on fall and winter vegetables with great results. I am now growing broccoli as large as when I first put in my garden 40 years ago. It is also good for fertilizing seed beds and seedlings for next season. I don't think they recommend it as a foliar spray though.

If your pots or containers drain well and have a potting mix that doesn't pack down and hold excessive moisture then give the plants a total drench with TTF until liquid is running out of the drain holes at the recommended rate of one tablespoon to the gallon. If you don't have access to TTF then I would recommend a good soluble fertilizer like Miracle Grow and do the same with it. If you don't have mites then you have some kind of serious deficiency going on or they have been given too much of something that caused the yellowing; but I don't know what that would be.

Bill

[Labradors2]

Thanks Kelly and Bill.

It does look like a deficiency. I forgot to add that I gave them fish meal and Cal-Mag at plant out, but was reluctant to do that again because adding FM to the top of the pots encourages doggy noses. I gave them some MG slow-release fert 2-3 weeks ago, but that is probably too slow acting to have any impact.

Today, I removed a lot of the sick yellow leaves. Some of the leaf stems had died and the main stems look dark and diseased. They DO have Septoria which only adds to my confusion as to what is wrong.

Since these plants have nothing left to lose, I will try Bill's drench idea with MG and see if helps.

Thanks,
Linda

[SharonRossy]

Hi Linda. If you can get your hands on the MG 18-18-21 that's the one I would use. I agree it looks like a root bound issue. I had a similar issue last year with plants in big 15 and 20 gallon pots but my issue started earlier and I had to take down three plants. It started slowly and then overnight they were pretty much finished. I never really figured out what was wrong other than the septoria. My stems were hollow as well.
Sharon

[Labradors2]

Too late Sharon! I found some very old stuff with a high middle number 15- 30 something - 15. It got wet once and doesn't dissolve very well so I really must break down and buy a new one. They all had a good dousing, so we'll see if it makes any difference.

Interesting about the hollow stems! I'll check that when I decide to trash them.

Linda

[joseph]

Looks like it was sprayed with bleach...

[Labradors2]

Ha ha Joseph! It was a very weak solution, designed to kill bacteria. It did not have the same effect on plants in the ground that were also sprayed.

Linda

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

Many thanks guys.

It's not spider mites or other insect damage. I checked with a magnifying glass.

I wondered if I had over-watered, although the pots have drainage holes and I never see water streaming out, so I thought I was gauging it about right. Nevertheless, I backed off on the watering (just in case) and now it's even worse with obviously dead leaves that I will remove. These are container plants that were started in February, so I will just take the tomatoes that they give me and be thankful.

Diagnosis: possibly root-bound. Thanks Zipcode!

Linda

Linda, I have had that happen to my seedlings immediately, like within a day or 2 of giving them a little Peters 20-20-20. I gave them a weak epsom salt solution, and they greened back up almost immediately. Try it, what do you have to lose. It looked like deficiency to my eyes. 1 Tablespoon epsom salt to 1 gallon H20.
I dont use MG or Peters on my maters any more.

[Labradors2]

Thanks Marsha. Something else to try - tomorrow when they need watering again!

Linda