On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:08:40 -0600, Eggs Zachtly
wrote:

dgk said:

Last year my tomato plants were doing fine and then the bottom leaves
started turning yellow and it moved up the plants. I did not get many
tomatoes out of the deal

The same thing appears to be happening this year. I took a leaf to the
local garden center and they said aphids and sold me some poison dust
(Bonide?). I would prefer not to use it since it says that it's bad
for humans and pets, and my cats roam the backyard.

If it were aphids, you'd see them. Do you?


Is there anything else I can do? Is it likely that I have aphids? I
thought that I would see those but I don't see them anywhere.

What are your watering practices? Over, as well as under-watering will
cause what you describe.

Do the leaf veins show any sign of turning purple (a sign of psyllids)?

Pull back a bit of soil at the base. Do the roots show any sign of rotting
(a sign of Fusarium oxysporum)?

Are the plants VFN (disease-resistant variety)?

Are you growing the plants in the same location as the ones you had trouble
with, last year? (REAL bad idea)

It could be a lot of things. Watering practices can mimic other problems,
which is why it was my first question. =)


Thanks, much to check out when I get home. I do pretty much grow them
in the same place though I move the exact spot around. I have a small
yard and outside of ripping up some bushes and such, I am limited
since these pretty much need lots of sun. There just isn't that much
room. I'm thinking of running a path of tomato plants right through
the middle of the lawn next year but I get flack from the Significant
Other when I mention it.

Watering is a concern. I just read a whole bunch of tomato watering
tips and apparently watering from the top, as I've been doing by
sprinkler, is a bad idea. Everyone says water at the roots. I think
I'll put a soaker hose back there and limit the sprinkler to the
grass.

I've been trying to water in the morning but mostly water in the
evening. Another bad idea apparently. Hopefully the soaker hose
concept will take care of that.

I was out sick the last two days; yesterday as I lay in bed I listened
and watched a thunderstorm dump three inches of water in two hours. I
won't water for a while I think. Good deep watering there. Some of it
ended up in my basement.

I think perhaps you're very right about the watering situation. I'll
worry about that first. No, I have seen no aphids. I'll look with a
magnifying glass but I don't see any on the plants.

They should be VFN. I think that's all they sell at Garden World. I
have two cherries, one grape, two Big Boy, one Beefsteak, one Early
Girl, and one Roma (plum), The grape and roma are looking the worst.
The cherries are all over the place and look very good. Early Girl has
one turning red. Beefsteak looks good but I have a lot of trouble with
them; they seem to rot easily and grow weird. But they taste great if
you trim off the bad parts.

The Big Boys are lagging behind this year but have started to have
fruit and I have high hopes.

I'll check the various problem areas you highlighted but I think you
hit the water can.