A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 I've been avoiding you...

I've been avoiding you all, in the same way that people avoid going to the doctor because they don't want to know if somethings wrong with them. I don't want to know if my tomato plants have a serious problem, but I can't take it anymore, and I finally have to ask.

The lower-to-middle leaves of my plants are turning yellow and drying up. The tops of the plants and the fruit are still growing. I thought I was overwatering, so I'm slowing down on that. But there was an article in the newspaper today about Fusarium and Verticillium wilts, and I'm wondering if my plants have a wilt.

How can I tell for sure? My plants are in containers with fresh store-bought potting soil.

Please advise.

Zelinda,
That wilt is usually when the rain or watering from a hose...and then when the water goes down, splashes on the dirt and the dirt splashes back up onto the plant, causing the wilt!!!!

Is there dirt that is exposed under the plant?
And watering, should be done in the morning, not late at night, because late watering keeps the soil moist over night, which encourages problems..

Once you get it, it's usually pretty tough to get rid of it...
Wash out the pot or container, and anything that you put into the dirt (like a stake or tomato cage) so not to continue the problem. (I am not sure what to actually wash it out with, maybe Phil or Papito or even Pineapple~Raye can answer it for us...??????)

And put a landscape fabric or something under the tomato plant and on top of the dirt/soil.........
Watch the watering practices.....................
And don't handle the plant when it's wet.........
And give your plant some organic food, and some epsom's salt, that'll help the plant.............

You should still get a crop.....

I have it here too, it was in my soil the first summer I gardened....
but I use the landscape fabric, but nothing on top of it, just some bricks or something to hold it down... and water in the mornings...........
I plant alot and get alot of tomatoes for me,
it's not too huge of a deal, but I can see if
you only have one plant that it can be.........

Hope this helps!!!

Weezie

Hi Weezie,
Thanks for your help. I water by hand with a watering can because these are on the balcony of my apartment, so no water gets on the leaves. HOWEVER, until about a week ago, I was giving the 2 plants 1 gal. of water each, every day. Then the wilting started, and I checked the soil and found it was constantly moist just under the surface. Clearly, I've over-loved my plants. . I'm like a new parent with these new tomato plants, and I just want to do the right thing.