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Old 07-07-2007, 09:23 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
James James is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 174
Default Tomatoes not growing...

On Jul 6, 10:23 pm, Sarah wrote:
Hello....

I planted tomatoes in southern New Mexico. The ground had no previous
garden, looked OK. I tilled in organic compost to 10", lots of
compost. Planted several varieties, 15 plants, in a row. Automatic
watering with drip hose, ground covered by black plastic weed stopper
(breathes). Killed grass around with roundup (had bermuda reaching
into garden). Covered all plants with plastic bags first. Bags seemed
to make hot house and make tomatoes grow but Ieft them on 2 days and
it killed plants on one side of garden (more sun). Replaced those with
new plants. Put time release fetrilize on soil and soaked in when
first planted, have used liquid fertilizer two times since. Direct sun
5 - 6 hours a day, lots of indirect light (shade under tree)
otherwise.

Planted 1.5 months ago. All plants, old and new, at just sitting
there, no or very little increase in height...all except one plant on
the end away from new plants. This one is growing very well, lush,
getting taller. Others have green tops, lower limbs died some time
ago. The green tops look healthy but donig nothing, some scraggly.
Don't know why but get the feeling some of them are on their way to
dying, or maybe they just won't grow.

Why aren't they growing? Searched the web, I see lots of diseases, and
will try to look close at the plants when I return (on vacation for
few days).

Any advice would really be appreciated. I only grew tomatoes once
before, in New Jersey, and they were a spectacular success with little
effort.

Thanks very much,
Sarah


Did you plant varieties that don't keep growing?

Perhaps you tilled in too much organic matter and it's taking too much
N so the tomatoes don't get any. Dying lower limbs can be disease of
a lack of N or light. Considering you're using drip irrigation it's
probably nof disease.