For the last two years I ended up with leaf blight and because of the small
space I have to put them in the ground I decided to use 18" containers this
year.

To make a long story short my container tomatoes are ending up with cracked
bottoms or they end up being black. I sprayed with daconil this morning but
I am baffled.

I planted them in Miracle Grow potting soil and have them hooked up to a
drip irrigation system that automatically waters them with 1 gal of water
every other day.

All help appreciated. Thanks.

In article . net,
Julie wrote:
I planted them in Miracle Grow potting soil and have them hooked up to a
drip irrigation system that automatically waters them with 1 gal of water
every other day.

Do you think you're overwatering? 1 gal of water every other day seems like a lot...

From http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/c...omato444.html:

"The potted plant will be expanding its root system at a faster rate than those in
the soil because the potting soil will be warmer and porous. Never use garden soil
in a container. Instead purchase a well-draining potting mix. Since the mix contains
no fertilizer elements, mix in the right (according to label instructions) amounts
of slow-release fertilizer pellets such as Osmocote before planting in a gallon-size
container. Add a water-soluble fertilizer to the water each time the plants are
moistened -- DO NOT OVERWATER or you will kill these precious transplants. Stick
your finger in the potting soil and if you feel moisture--WALK AWAY!!! If you water
too much, the base of the plants will rot and the plants will wilt. It is best to
keep the plants on the "dry side" rather than overwatering them to death. "

And from http://www.earthfuture.com/gardenpat...y_Tomatoes.htm

"Do not overwater. A deep soaking once a week is better than several light
waterings. Fruit splitting and blossom end rot is caused by erratic watering."


Cheers
KJ

--
---
"We're all given a ticket to the American freak show the day we're born and
some people, they put their ticket away. Me, I watch the show." - George Carlin
http://www.ibiblio.org/kelly -=*= kelly @ unc.edu

In article . net,
Julie wrote:
To make a long story short my container tomatoes are ending up with cracked
bottoms or they end up being black. I sprayed with daconil this morning but
I am baffled.

Tomatoes already? Anyway, cracked bottoms probably means too much water.
Black bottoms sounds like blossom end rot which is usually a calcium
deficiency (made worse by too much water which leaches away the calcium
from the soil). Daconil -- a fungicide? Why?

--
Steve