2014 Tomato Growing

@ARMANDII ...I was meaning the Manx Marvel (MM) should have made that clearer,I'm guessing you mean Money Maker is that right?

 

Same here started to get leaf curl on my tigerella

 

I don't need one the heat had made me go all peculiar as it is

 

Hiya @Lolimac
I can't say what's caused it, maybe Magnesium deficiency? Might as well remove those lower leaves though.

 

What are they planted in? They are growing looking like there isn't enough "goodness" to me, what do you think? Has the soil underneath cropped Tomatoes before / recently ?

 

@Kristen .They're growing in MP what I've always used...I only wedged them in that bed a couple of days ago to make more space

 

Hiya folks

Just a general note, and please feel free to comment As I understand it, the 'feeding' roots are near the surface, whereas the roots further down are for 'drinking'. Useful to know if anyone is using bottomless pots or the like.
Regarding leaf curl, I always thought it isn't a problem?

Cheers...Freddy

 

Okay all, just a brief visit from me as I'm computer-less at the moment.

Manx Marvel...... Mine are currently in a trough in the garden, no leaf curl but being stubborn on the fruit front, still at pea size. They do prefer being outside, I've tried them in the greenhouse but they suffer with leaf curl and start to yellow. I also think they need as much air as possible. @Lolimac....It looks as if yours are in a sheltered spot, perhaps it would be best to move them further into the open. Mine are in afternoon and evening sun only and overnight temperatures here are fairly even with day temps, no severe highs or lows...... that is due to the islands climate.

I would suggest you strip off the 'dodgy' leaves and keep watering regularly. With the constant watering as with most tomatoes it tends to flush any feed through, so perhaps you should up the feed too, a minimum of once a week. Are you using B&Q's Verve multi purpose compost? After my issues with the fungal gnats which I believe they have corrected, I now think they have reduced nutrients instead as a way of reducing costs. None of my plants, not just toms but across the board, have not done well this year from seedlings onwards. Next year I will not be using Verve at all.

Another tip......I have returned to feeding all my toms with Tomorite this year, I've found plants have looked generally unwell using cheaper food.

 

I don't think it is a problem early in the year (caused by day/night temperature differential being great), but at this time of the year I would doubt night temperatures are low enough for that to be the cause? so might be something else?

I haven't used Tomorite for 5 years or so (since I last worked out how much more expensive it was than Brand X ) and haven't noticed any difference but ... for anyone who only gets through one bottle (say) of Tomato feed a year I doubt the price difference is significant enough to notice. I use Chempak (which you have to mix and dilute). However, I do apply Magnesium sulphate (proficiently) at the start of fruiting, rather than waiting for the leaves to show Magnesium deficiency "stress", so that might help (maybe Tomorite has Magnesium and the cheapies don't / have less ??)