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Question:

why are my tomato plants dying?

i have 20 tomato plants in individual 6 containers on a flood table but i water by hand. i grew them from seed and they seem to be dying. tips of branches are yellowing and drying and even some leaves are. the plants are 8 inches tall and all planted in organic miracle grow soil mixed with perlite and vermiculite. they started off strong but now having problems. i have 10 small pepper plants the same age as the tomatos and they are thriving. all plants are under a 400wat metal halide light 1 foot above the plants and i water everyother day or when the top soil seems dry. please help!!

Answer:

If they're 8 tall and the roots aren't coiling around small pots, you're definitely over watering, which could lead to fungal diseases. Unless they're in a hot room, they should only need water every 3-4 days. You should also be watering from the bottom (pouring water into the tray and letting the plants soak it up from the bottom), not the top. Let them dry out a bit, and the next time you water, dilute a couple cups of old coffee by half and water from the bottom with that. If you get a sunny, warm day and you're going to be around the house, take them outside and let them get some real sunlight and fresh air. Just make sure you bring them in again at night.
Cut the badly discolored leaves off. Leave only the good leaves. I had the same problem but some of my leaves turned white and some turned yellow. Almost all have lived and now are 12 inches tall. The only thing I added was a little iron. I assume you are growing heirloom tomatoes. They are tricky but you will learn. I grow 7 varieties.
this relies upon - do the leaves look yellow or are they turning colorations and dying? Are your flowers purely too dry? have you ever fed them in any respect? Soak them extremely properly - and once you water confirm you water on the basis/base of the plant and don't spray down the leaves. Water contained in the night whilst it is the coolest. in case you water throughout the time of the day and the leaves get moist it could make the plant use up whilst the solar beats down on the moist plant existence. additionally, verify for illnesses - the cyber web website under in my source has stable help on what tomato plant illnesses look like and what to do finding on what you come across. you may feed with something like miracle improve - yet do no longer overfeed your flowers or you will finally end up with fascinating foliage and much less tomatoes. additionally there are organic a thank you to grant your tomatoes what they want as properly. Tomatoes require countless calcium so once you employ eggs weigh down the eggshells up right into a magnificent powder and place into the soil around the plant. This little domicile therapy has labored amazingly properly for my tomatoes. I additionally improve mine in straw bales the previous couple of years because of the fact my soil exchange into no longer of the ideal high quality. i will no longer be able to sing the praises of a straw bale backyard sufficient!

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