Mater help...leaf problem

hornstrider · March 16, 2009

Hello all.......I don't post much, but I read this forum daily along w/ other Mater forums......You folks seem to know your stuff, and are quite friendly.......I live in Hutto Texas just northeast of Austin, Texas..........My problem....I believe this recent cold front has had an effect on my mater leaves.........This cold front hung around for the better part of 4 days........Temps were in the low to mid forties the entire time, and temps got down in the high thirties fri. Night........The plants were protected from the wind w/ some row cover material pictured below.........The big plants have minimal damage, but the smaller plants look damaged........1st question.....is this cold damage??.....It did not freeze, and we did not have a frost as best as I could tell......lowest temp may have been 37 deg........2nd question.........Will these plants grow out of this leaf damage??....any help will be appriciated.....Please excuse my pictures (this is the only way I know how to post pictures on this web site).........Thanks in advance....

http://www.psgtee.com/tomato.html

jcmorse33 · March 16, 2009

Its somewhat hard to see the leaves since your pictures are rather small and not that close up. But I would say that the leaves were probably damaged by the cold (upper 30's often does it to my young plants, particularly if there is any wind or moisture involved) or by sunburn.

I imagine you hardened your plants off before setting them out, but I have had cases where the plants were still relatively young and tender (only recently "hardened") where an extended cool, cloudy period resulted in the plant again being vulnerable to intense direct sunlight. In either case, sun or cold, the plant should bounce back and grow out of it just fine.

hornstrider · March 16, 2009

jc.........thank you for your imput.......The second picture if you click on the smaller picture it will enlarge on the right side........the color of the discoloration is a very light copper color....once again thank you

dice · March 17, 2009

They still look ok to me. Potassium deficiency will sometimes
produce a bronze discoloration, but in that case you see it all
over the plant, not just on one or two leaves.

March 16, 2009	#1
hornstrider Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hutto, Texas Posts: 230	Mater help...leaf problem Hello all.......I don't post much, but I read this forum daily along w/ other Mater forums......You folks seem to know your stuff, and are quite friendly.......I live in Hutto Texas just northeast of Austin, Texas..........My problem....I believe this recent cold front has had an effect on my mater leaves.........This cold front hung around for the better part of 4 days........Temps were in the low to mid forties the entire time, and temps got down in the high thirties fri. Night........The plants were protected from the wind w/ some row cover material pictured below.........The big plants have minimal damage, but the smaller plants look damaged........1st question.....is this cold damage??.....It did not freeze, and we did not have a frost as best as I could tell......lowest temp may have been 37 deg........2nd question.........Will these plants grow out of this leaf damage??....any help will be appriciated.....Please excuse my pictures (this is the only way I know how to post pictures on this web site).........Thanks in advance.... http://www.psgtee.com/tomato.html

March 17, 2009	#4
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	They still look ok to me. Potassium deficiency will sometimes produce a bronze discoloration, but in that case you see it all over the plant, not just on one or two leaves. __________________ -- alias

March 16, 2009	#2
jcmorse33 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Central Virginia Posts: 242	Its somewhat hard to see the leaves since your pictures are rather small and not that close up. But I would say that the leaves were probably damaged by the cold (upper 30's often does it to my young plants, particularly if there is any wind or moisture involved) or by sunburn. I imagine you hardened your plants off before setting them out, but I have had cases where the plants were still relatively young and tender (only recently "hardened") where an extended cool, cloudy period resulted in the plant again being vulnerable to intense direct sunlight. In either case, sun or cold, the plant should bounce back and grow out of it just fine.