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Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 11:18 am
by Janibd
Hello, everyone
Trying my best to grow my own tomatoes in containers. I have no real room for planting in ground, so my only choice is a container garden. I’m growing all Dwarf Tomato Project tomatoes in different types of SIPs. I have some success and some huge failures. The taste of the success has me plugging along.
I’m still too new to identify issues with my plants based on leaf issues. I was hoping someone could help to identify the problems so as to fix them and to avoid them in the future.
Right now I have dwarf tomatoes growing in 5 gallon bucket SIPs and Earthboxes. Here are two different issues: one with browning leaves and another with yellow spots.
Thanks for any help!!!
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Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 12:19 pm
by pepperhead212
Welcome to the forum!
That looks like some of the blights I get on tomatoes, and I got a lot on the dwarf varieties I tried, also in the bucket SIPs, though that was not the cause, I'm sure. I tried Actinovate, which helped my others better than the dwarfs, and the potassium bicarbonate also helped others more, but some of the dwarfs I pulled halfway through the season - they just seemed less resistant, than the others. Our friends in FL will be able to help you more, as there may be types more common in the area.
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 1:10 pm
by Janibd
Oh. I’ve read about blight but didn’t have a clear understanding about what it looked like. Do you think I can stop it or should I pull the plants and start over?
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 1:11 pm
by Janibd
Oops! And are both pics blight? The brown leaves look different than the spotted ones.
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 8:40 pm
by Barb_FL
Ginger2778 (Marsha) can diagnosis all leaf problems. Hopefully, she will stop by and see this.
The Florida season is really long so you have plenty of time if you need to start over with those 2 plants.
Welcome - Marsha grows tomatoes exclusively in Earthboxes and I grow in either EB or Root Pouches.
I used to grow a lot of Dwarf tomato project tomatoes - they taste great, but something with rugose leaves and Florida (could be me) stopped working. I've switched to determinate tomatoes.
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 8:53 pm
by MissS
I agree that it's a blight on your first plant. If it is early blight it can be controlled if you catch it early enough. If it's late blight there just is no cure. The plant in your first photo looks to be too involved to be able to salvage. Your second plant appears to have gray mold and perhaps early blight. Both of these are fungal diseases that can be treated with fungicides. I see that you are in Florida which is a great place for disease to run rampant if you do not use some kind of program to keep disease in check. We have some great members here that are experts at dealing with your climate. Check out this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1555
I alternate using Daconil and Liquid Copper on my plants. I spray them every week with one or the other as a preventative, since my summers are very hot and humid.
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 10:17 pm
by Janibd
Barb_FL wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 8:40 pm
Ginger2778 (Marsha) can diagnosis all leaf problems. Hopefully, she will stop by and see this.
The Florida season is really long so you have plenty of time if you need to start over with those 2 plants.
Welcome - Marsha grows tomatoes exclusively in Earthboxes and I grow in either EB or Root Pouches.
I used to grow a lot of Dwarf tomato project tomatoes - they taste great, but something with rugose leaves and Florida (could be me) stopped working. I've switched to determinate tomatoes.
I’ve actually started some new seeds. I guess we’ll see how the next attempt goes. I haven’t tried regular determinants. Which varieties do you suggest for containers? Thanks
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 10:20 pm
by Janibd
MissS wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 8:53 pm
I agree that it's a blight on your first plant. If it is early blight it can be controlled if you catch it early enough. If it's late blight there just is no cure. The plant in your first photo looks to be too involved to be able to salvage. Your second plant appears to have gray mold and perhaps early blight. Both of these are fungal diseases that can be treated with fungicides. I see that you are in Florida which is a great place for disease to run rampant if you do not use some kind of program to keep disease in check. We have some great members here that are experts at dealing with your climate. Check out this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1555
I alternate using Daconil and Liquid Copper on my plants. I spray them every week with one or the other as a preventative, since my summers are very hot and humid.
Thanks for the info. I guess I’ll have to pull the plants and try again. I have the liquid copper. I’ll have to pick up the Daconil and start a weekly routine. Thanks, again.
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2020 10:48 am
by DirtTherapy
Some of the ones I planted out early (while it was still hot) have shown signs of blight that aren't stopping, and they need to be pulled. The ones planted out later, and I've now moved them far away from where the other ones were, seem much healthier. After all this rain (I'm in Central Florida, didn't really get hit badly from Eta but it's been very wet, like a two day drizzle), I will definitely need to do the copper fungicide spray or possibly first some hydrogen peroxide solution. - Ann
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:17 pm
by Ginger2778
The first photo is probably fungal, but could be a chemical burn, or even overfertilizing. I'm going with fungal because we have had so much rain and humidity. Daconil is a good preventive but won't do a thing for already infected plants. I always use liquid copper fungicide at 1/2 of the weakest recommended strength , and even then sometimes its strong and will make your growth stunted for about 3 weeks. If you see blue on the leaves when you spray, its too strong. More is not better with copper.
The second photo is some of that same fungus, but also a magnesium deficiency. That's the interveinal chlorosis(yellowing). A Tablespoon of Epsom salt to one gallon of water will help. Those already yellow spots won't go away though.
I grow in 48 Earthboxes, and I don't limit my varieties to just determinate. I mostly grow indeterminate ones in my earthboxes. So to suggest good varieties, I'm at a loss, since they all work mostly.
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2020 6:36 pm
by bower
It's really interesting to see how the same diseases can look different in different environments. And you Floridians sure know your environment. Marsha I salute the whole idea that you can work with any variety.

I have to be so super picky just to get any fruit here, I never keep any vars that are disease prone but I can see, when you make treatment a part of your grow routine you don't have those limitations. Kudos for that.
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:12 pm
by Janibd
Ginger2778 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 12, 2020 2:17 pm
The first photo is probably fungal, but could be a chemical burn, or even overfertilizing. I'm going with fungal because we have had so much rain and humidity. Daconil is a good preventive but won't do a thing for already infected plants. I always use liquid copper fungicide at 1/2 of the weakest recommended strength , and even then sometimes its strong and will make your growth stunted for about 3 weeks. If you see blue on the leaves when you spray, its too strong. More is not better with copper.
The second photo is some of that same fungus, but also a magnesium deficiency. That's the interveinal chlorosis(yellowing). A Tablespoon of Epsom salt to one gallon of water will help. Those already yellow spots won't go away though.
I grow in 48 Earthboxes, and I don't limit my varieties to just determinate. I mostly grow indeterminate ones in my earthboxes. So to suggest good varieties, I'm at a loss, since they all work mostly.
48 earthboxes? That’s amazing! I’m new to gardening, so I am pretty clueless. I’ve been using 5 Gallo SIPS, but I loved the idea and looks of the earthbox. I would love to successfully grow tomatoes in them. I hope it’s not fertilizer burn because I used the fertilizer strip. I’m not exactly sure what to do about that for these plants or future plants in the earthboxes.
As far as the copper spray, what is your routine? Weekly half dose? Should I pull and toss the plants? Any chance of saving them? If they can’t be saved, should I toss the mix with infected plants.
Also, how do you trellis indeterminate varieties in the earthboxes? With Earthboxe’s system or some other system?
Sorry, so new, and I have so many questions.
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:41 pm
by Ginger2778
My apologies for taking so long to answer your questions.
My copper spray routine is evety 7 to 10 days, and also after a heavy rain. It's a great preventive, and is antibacterial and also antifungal.
If you follow the Earthbox fertilizer strip directions, type and quantity, and place the plants where it shows you, there won't be any problems with it.
Those plants look very far gone, I would start over because there's time with our long seasons in Florida.
My trellising is tomato cages around the plants, and field fence cages I nade for outside the earthbox rim.here is a photo of just yhe outer cage taken while solarizing this Summer.
20200806_115221.jpg
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:44 pm
by Ginger2778
My apologies for taking so long to answer your questions.
My copper spray routine is evety 7 to 10 days, and also after a heavy rain. It's a great preventive, and is antibacterial and also antifungal.
If you follow the Earthbox fertilizer strip directions, type and quantity, and place the plants where it shows you, there won't be any problems with it.
Those plants look very far gone, I would start over because there's time with our long seasons in Florida.
My trellising is tomato cages around the plants, and field fence cages I nade for outside the earthbox rim.here is a photo of just yhe outer cage taken while solarizing this Summer. Also one showing the tomato cages inside.
20200806_115221.jpg
20191229_154809.jpg
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 10:48 pm
by Janibd
Ginger2778 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 23, 2020 9:44 pm
My apologies for taking so long to answer your questions.
My copper spray routine is evety 7 to 10 days, and also after a heavy rain. It's a great preventive, and is antibacterial and also antifungal.
If you follow the Earthbox fertilizer strip directions, type and quantity, and place the plants where it shows you, there won't be any problems with it.
Those plants look very far gone, I would start over because there's time with our long seasons in Florida.
My trellising is tomato cages around the plants, and field fence cages I nade for outside the earthbox rim.here is a photo of just yhe outer cage taken while solarizing this Summer. Also one showing the tomato cages inside.
20200806_115221.jpg20191229_154809.jpg
Thanks so much for your reply. I’m still learning so every little bit helps. Unfortunately, my Earthboxes are on cement, so I’ll have to figure something else out for the cages. I’ve pulled the plants, bought the copper, and I have new seedlings almost ready to plant out. Hopefully, my next attempt will produce fruit.

Thanks, again!
Re: Container Gardener- Help with Tomato Leaf issues
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 12:39 pm
by Ginger2778
[mention]Janibd[/mention] My cages would work if the Earthboxes are on cement, because they go around the top rim of the earthbox.
The only thing I have going into the ground are vertical posts to keep them from tipping once they get big and we get a windy day. But you don't need the vertical posts.