Kitchen Garden Forum

About a week ago I planted out nine tomato plants (Sungold) in my garden. They were very healthy-looking and had been hardened off over the preceding fortnight.

Yesterday I noticed that that the leaves are all turning speckled, and the lower ones are shrivelling up and dying. Of the nine plants, only one still looks untouched so far.

I've taken these pics, to see if anyone can tell me what's wrong with them. They are not very clear, as it is still blowing a gale out there and the plants refuse to stand still for me!





I also gave three plants to my son a fortnight ago, and he has just phoned to tell me that they are all dying, and of the same thing, going by his description.

The problem starts with the lower leaves, then works its way up the plant. Any ideas?

Evening Bert, they look as if they are very stressed to me. Too much heavy rain, and maybe they have got bruised by hail....

Just a thought.....

Dear OH,

If you're right, then there is little hope of recovery, with the weather set to continue like this. Looks like its just one more setback. Oh well, I suppose that I will just have to go out and buy some plants - and keep them under wraps until we get some summer weather. I haven't bought tomato plants for years, but the thought of not having a plentiful supply of fresh toms is awful.

But if that's what stress does, maybe that explains why the person staring back at me every time I look in a mirror is looking worse for wear!

Hi Mouse,
You say that you were hardening-off the week before you planted out. Well here in that week we had two near frost periods one at 3.5C and the other at 4.2C both at dawn and both far too low for tomatoes so I wonder if these plants have been affected by low temperature which at that size of plant will inevitably cause stress.
The latitude of our properties are not that far apart.
Only a thought mind.
JB.

I have wondered about that, Johnboy.

There was one night where they were forcasting 3 degrees, so I rigged up a fleece shelter over the plants. In fact, it didn't go below 6 degrees. I know that's a bit low anyway for tomatoes, so maybe that was what did the damage - that and the torrential rain and high winds that have followed!

Just a thought from me also, but I wonder why one tom has escaped? You could take up one dying plant, check for pests (ants?) and replant in a large pot and place indoors, in a higher temperature.

JohnN wrote:Just a thought from me also, but I wonder why one tom has escaped? You could take up one dying plant, check for pests (ants?) and replant in a large pot and place indoors, in a higher temperature.

I spoke too soon, John - even that one plant has some speckled leaves now.
However, the growing points still look healthy enough on all of the plants. If only the weather would improve, I think that they might pull through.

I might take your advice, and try taking one or two of them back into the warmth.

I shall say two words. Magnesium deficiency.

Another two words, Epsom salts.


Cheers, Tony.

I think it's tomato leafmould, Mouse - it looks like it and, with the bottom leaves dropping off first, sounds like it, too. It would have started when the plants where still in greenhouse and having the stress of being planted out cannot have helped.

The RHS website gives a good photo, description and treatment, though it seems it's too late for your plants, I'm afraid.

Hi Kleftiwallah,
Three words: Not Magnesium Deficiency.
JB.