Hello everyone! I am new to gardening and I am hoping that someone will be able to help me out with my tomato plant. I bought this tomato plant already started and transplanted into a big pot (with a drainage hole). It has been fine for about 2 weeks and then yesterday morning when I went to look at it, the leaves are drooping and curling, but they are not dry or brittle. I am not sure what is going on or what to do. I have been watering everyday (some websites say water everyday some say every other, some say only when dry.) and my cherry tomato plant has been flourishing until yesterday. I have a lot of tomatoes growing, and some are turning red. If someone has any expertise I would greatly appreciate it. Thank You so much! ( photo / image / picture from Love1pink's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Love1pink's Garden )
Hi love1pink, Welcome to the Stew... Glad you found us and I hope someone can help, but I think we need a few details in order to try. Where do you have your plant, how hot is it, how much water are you giving it, is it windy where the plant is at, has it been sheltered until recently? (as in a greenhouse)? does it look better or worse today? A wilty plant can be caused by a lack of water ( not enough at each watering to make all of the soil moist), a virus, the wind sucking the moisure out of the plant or breaking the stem even though it is upright it can be twisted and damaged, but not broken in two.
Another warm welcome to GardenStew! If it were my plant, I'd move it to where it got afternoon shade, give it a boost of manure tea (composted manure in water--proportions aren't important since the plant just uses what it needs) and, if you have just one drainage hole, back off on the watering. Your cherry tomato doesn't look sick to me, just stressed.
Thank you for the warm welcome Carolyn and Marlingardener. I am in southern California, the temperature has been 78-85F, there hasn't been much wind to speak of. I have kept it outside since I bought it (not in a greenhouse). It looks the same today as yesterday, so at least it is not getting worse. I have been watering it everyday, but maybe I am not letting it drink enough. I have it in full sun now, but I can move it somewhere with afternoon shade. I just wasn't sure what was going on because it is still giving me a ton of fruit, and there are tiny yellow closed flowers all over the plant. thank you so much!
The temp sounds normal, I am wondering how much water are you giving it when you water the plant? A cup or two or a big drink? I fill my pots to the top of the rim with water and let it drain through the soil. If they are wilty I do it several times or if you have a pan or container large enough set the pot in the container and let it suck up all the water it wants for about 1/2 hour when you water it. I wonder if it isn't getting enough to drink. It doesn't look "sickly". Don't forget to fertilize it, too. Organic or not, it needs to eat in order to produce fruit. The fruit is determined by the nutrients available while it is flowering. Fertilize at least once a week and if you are doing organic feed it everytime you water.
So, this morning I watered it really, really well and I just hoped for the best. When I came home this afternoon I was surprised my plant has come back to life! I guess it was just thirsty, I thought before maybe I was watering too much but I guess not. Thank you so much for help Carolyn and marlingardener!!! ( photo / image / picture from Love1pink's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from Love1pink's Garden )
Yay!!! I was hoping that was all the problem was. I grow tomatoes in containers to sell and I had a couple this year that wilted down and I thought they had sufficient amounts of water. So I drenched them hoping that was the problem. The last thing I need is a greenhouse full of diseased plants. Now, when you water fill the pot to the rim and let it soak through. AND don't forget to fertilize it, too. The fruit quality is determined by the nutrients it has available at the time of blossom formation.
Love1pink, that tomato plant didn't just come back to life, it came booming! Looks really good and now you know how to handle it. Enjoy a bumper crop of tomatoes!
