Tomatoes Not Growing

   / Tomatoes Not Growing #1  
J

jay3534

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zebulon nc
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I started tomatoes from seed and they looked good when I transplanted but have not grown any in the last 3 weeks. Nothing has changed about the way I grow my tomatoes except several weeks of nights in the 40's about a week after transplanting. Are they toast now or is there something I might try?
 
   / Tomatoes Not Growing #2  
My Tomatoes seem to be growing in spurts due to some cold nights. How tall are they? I use a bit of potting soil mixed in when I plant mine. Probably feed them soon to see if that perks them up.
 
   / Tomatoes Not Growing #3  
My tomatoes are looking pretty good now; but I had a bit of the same problem up until the last couple of weeks. I put my out mid April. The cool cloudy weather, they don't do much. I always put a cup of blood meal and a cup of bone meal mixed in the bottom of the hole of every tomato plant. This gives enough Nitrogen, Calcium and Phosphorus without burning or overgrowing the vines. This year I sprinkled some Epsom Salts on the soil before watering.

They definitely need some warm weather and sunshine. How big are the plants now? Mine are in the 12 to 18 inch range; blooming and setting some tomatoes.
 
   / Tomatoes Not Growing
  • Thread Starter
#4  
about 8 inches
 
   / Tomatoes Not Growing #5  
Planted my seedlings yesterday. But frankly have no hope at all. I am going to try and prune them severely, if they grow, to avoid a pile of green tomatoes going to waste when frost hits. What have I got to loose?
 
   / Tomatoes Not Growing #6  
I don't consider myself much of a farmer for a guy that was raised on a farm. Don't usually have much luck but this year I took a different approach. I bought bags of Miracle Grow soil for in ground use. Everything we planted in it is growing great. We planted Marigolds under most of our tomatoes and some other stuff and those are bug free so far. My beans and okra have some bug damage showing so I'm going to get some more Marigolds to plant in with them.
 
   / Tomatoes Not Growing #7  
Industrial Toys said:
Planted my seedlings yesterday. But frankly have no hope at all. I am going to try and prune them severely, if they grow, to avoid a pile of green tomatoes going to waste when frost hits. What have I got to loose?
Click to expand...

I never tried fried green tomatoes until last year. A restaurant we frequent has a fried green tomato salad with blackened shrimp in it. I'm not planning to let some of my green tomatoes ripen.
 
   / Tomatoes Not Growing #8  
I like to mulch my tomatoes with cottonseed hulls. Till them under in the Fall, they add a bit of Nitrogen and organic to the soil.
 
   / Tomatoes Not Growing #9  
From the other side of the pond, some ideas from when I used to grow them. You cannot give a tomato too much water unless you wash it out of the ground, and the water is only fed from low down. Compost should be laid between the plants and not touch the stalk. The roots will find it when its washed down. A feather on a stick can be used to `tickle` all the flowers to aid pollination. Outside plants, no more than five trusses, or the winter will be there before they ripe. Green tomatoes cropped before a frost will keep in a cool dark room if each are separated, any bad ones removed, and there should be some for Christmas. Green tomatoes can be used to make a nice Tomato Chutney.
 
   / Tomatoes Not Growing #10  
TractorGuy said:
I don't consider myself much of a farmer for a guy that was raised on a farm. Don't usually have much luck but this year I took a different approach. I bought bags of Miracle Grow soil for in ground use. Everything we planted in it is growing great. We planted Marigolds under most of our tomatoes and some other stuff and those are bug free so far. My beans and okra have some bug damage showing so I'm going to get some more Marigolds to plant in with them.
Click to expand...

Years ago, I bought some Miracle Gro soil to try out. Planted a small circular veggie garden. Produced great that 1st year. Of course, I never added any more Miracle Gro, just compost and mulch. That soil was DEAD for 4 years. That's how long it took to build up the "bugs, e.g. nematodes and the lot" in the soil so that it would grown anything.

Chemical ferts basic ingredient/carrier is a SALT. Pour salt on a slug. What happens? It dissolves. Chemical ferts provide the NPK needed by the plants, but quit providing the chemical fert, and the soil is DEAD.

My experience. Read "Teaming with Microbes" by Lowenfels, who used to be a Miracle Gro advocate.

Ralph
 
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