Avatar for petitepotager
May 18, 2023 4:47 PM CST
Thread OP
Louisiana
So, I put my tomatoes in the ground around April. They were doing great, growing and started flowering and producing fruits. I threw in tomato tone when planted, fertilized about a month later. I noticed as of the last two weeks or so, they're just not doing great. Stunted. The whole plant is turning yellow. I added in worm castings, nothing changed. Upped my watering thinking they weren't getting enough, still yellow lol. I threw more tomato tone in a couple days ago and they still look horrible. Somebody send help. I'm thinking it might be a nitrogen deficiency. (I got premixed soil in bulk from a landscaping company. It has a lot of unbroken down wood chips.) I also don't want to over do it on the fertilizers. I'll attach some pictures.
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May 19, 2023 12:33 PM CST
Name: Rita
North Shore, Long Island, NY
Zone 6B
Charter ATP Member Seed Starter Tomato Heads I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Vegetable Grower Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge)
Birds Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Roses Photo Contest Winner: 2016
Tomato Tone is great but it is not an instant fix. In that is takes time to break down for the plants to use it. Instant would be a liquid like common Miricle Grow.
Avatar for petitepotager
May 19, 2023 1:07 PM CST
Thread OP
Louisiana
Newyorkrita said: Tomato Tone is great but it is not an instant fix. In that is takes time to break down for the plants to use it. Instant would be a liquid like common Miricle Grow.


Hi there, I used a liquid fertilizer before I tried the Tomato Tone! I used Agrothrive and the plants didn't seem to change. Do you think it's okay that to use a liquid fertilizer again with the Tomato Tone already added?
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May 19, 2023 3:20 PM CST
Name: Rita
North Shore, Long Island, NY
Zone 6B
Charter ATP Member Seed Starter Tomato Heads I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Vegetable Grower Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge)
Birds Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Roses Photo Contest Winner: 2016
I can't tell from your pictures but you just might have some fungal desease instead of a fetilizer problem.
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May 20, 2023 5:37 AM CST
Name: stone
near Macon Georgia (USA) (Zone 8a)
Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier
I'm not seeing a problem from the pictures... Usually there is leaf discoloration with the various tomato issues.

The plants look fine...

If you were real serious about determining why the seem to have stopped growing, you could dig one up and examine the roots...

Root knot nematodes are a concern for southern gardeners...

But I'd probably just treat by adding compost to the bed and exercise patience.
Avatar for petitepotager
May 20, 2023 10:47 PM CST
Thread OP
Louisiana
stone said: I'm not seeing a problem from the pictures... Usually there is leaf discoloration with the various tomato issues.

The plants look fine...

If you were real serious about determining why the seem to have stopped growing, you could dig one up and examine the roots...

Root knot nematodes are a concern for southern gardeners...

But I'd probably just treat by adding compost to the bed and exercise patience.


They've changed in color quite a bit. They were a dark, leafy green at first and have slowly started turning into a lime green/yellow. I think I'll add some compost and leave them alone as you said lol. This is my first year really trying to garden seriously so naturally, I find myself over analyzing everything haha.
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May 27, 2023 9:47 AM CST
Name: BetNC
Henderson County, NC (Zone 7a)
Container Gardener Seed Starter Plant and/or Seed Trader Tomato Heads Annuals Vegetable Grower
While I agree that a water-soluble fertilizer would provide a quick boost for a nutritional problem, I disaree strongly about using MiraclGro . There's better water soluble fertilizers to use like Jack's Classic fertilizers.

Jack's Classic fertilizers (they have a variety of formulations) are commonly available at ssome garden centers and also on Amazon, directions say to use them weekly and I have used them in conjunction with TomatoTone on my tomatoes for years without a problem.

That said, I think your problem is indeed nutritional, but not any of the major nutrients (Calcium-fortified Nitrogen-Phosphorous- K=Potassium). TomatoTone has almost ALL the major and minor/trace nutrients that tomato plants need.

The clues that struck me: soil with lots of non-broken down wood chips - bought in bulk from a landscaping company, a slow-down/lack of growth in plants and (most importantly) a color change. All leads me to believe your plants are suffering from a combination of nutrient poor "soil", moisture retention/poor drainage caused by the woody "soil", nutrient uptake interference by the decomposing wood chips and the resulting color change caused by a growing deficit in the minor/trace mineral Mg (magnesium, which is at the center of the chlorophyll molecule, where the plants convert sunlight into energy/food; Mg is usually present in sufficient amounts in the ground). All 3 of which I encountered when I began, some years ago.

The immediate solution is simple and quick (noticeable change in color beginning at least by the next day): a foliar MIST of an Epsom Salts solution (1 tablespoon of NON-PERFUMED Epsom Salts dissolved in 1 gallon of water). Spray the solution from a distance, aiming well above the plants so that a fine mist drops down on them: leaves will NOT be even half covered and will definitely NOT drip off the leaves into the soil, creating an toxicity difficult to correct.

If this solution doesn't work: you won't have harmed the plants or increased soil magnesium. But if it does, then mist/spritz throughout this summer whenever you think the plants neeed it. This routine is usually done at 3 growth stages: initially to water in the transplants, again at first flowering and finally at first fruit set.

Your plants will continue to be stunted because of the woody "soil"; I had to replace half the "soil" with a much more expensive high quality bagged soil (gotta love the prices and selection of Ace Hardware, Home Depot and Amazon!) to get normal growth and production the NEXT year. (This also reduced the noticeable nutrient uptake problems.

Keep using TomatoTone (look into adding Espoma Garden Lime into planting holes at transplanting - for its organic calcium) and don't be leery of supplementing with weekly foliar spraying of water soluble fertilizes (I use them especially to boost/promote flowering).

Welcome to the fascinating world of gardening!! Welcome!
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May 27, 2023 3:06 PM CST
Name: Rita
North Shore, Long Island, NY
Zone 6B
Charter ATP Member Seed Starter Tomato Heads I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Vegetable Grower Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge)
Birds Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Roses Photo Contest Winner: 2016
Yes, there are a lot better than Miracle Grow. But it is easy to find and does work very well on any plants that need a fast shot of Nitrogen. If I have a yellow plant that needs help I will give it a quick shot of Miracle Grow. Otherwise I don't use the stuff.
Avatar for petitepotager
May 28, 2023 9:16 AM CST
Thread OP
Louisiana
BetNC said: While I agree that a water-soluble fertilizer would provide a quick boost for a nutritional problem, I disaree strongly about using MiraclGro . There's better water soluble fertilizers to use like Jack's Classic fertilizers.

Jack's Classic fertilizers (they have a variety of formulations) are commonly available at ssome garden centers and also on Amazon, directions say to use them weekly and I have used them in conjunction with TomatoTone on my tomatoes for years without a problem.

That said, I think your problem is indeed nutritional, but not any of the major nutrients (Calcium-fortified Nitrogen-Phosphorous- K=Potassium). TomatoTone has almost ALL the major and minor/trace nutrients that tomato plants need.

The clues that struck me: soil with lots of non-broken down wood chips - bought in bulk from a landscaping company, a slow-down/lack of growth in plants and (most importantly) a color change. All leads me to believe your plants are suffering from a combination of nutrient poor "soil", moisture retention/poor drainage caused by the woody "soil", nutrient uptake interference by the decomposing wood chips and the resulting color change caused by a growing deficit in the minor/trace mineral Mg (magnesium, which is at the center of the chlorophyll molecule, where the plants convert sunlight into energy/food; Mg is usually present in sufficient amounts in the ground). All 3 of which I encountered when I began, some years ago.

The immediate solution is simple and quick (noticeable change in color beginning at least by the next day): a foliar MIST of an Epsom Salts solution (1 tablespoon of NON-PERFUMED Epsom Salts dissolved in 1 gallon of water). Spray the solution from a distance, aiming well above the plants so that a fine mist drops down on them: leaves will NOT be even half covered and will definitely NOT drip off the leaves into the soil, creating an toxicity difficult to correct.

If this solution doesn't work: you won't have harmed the plants or increased soil magnesium. But if it does, then mist/spritz throughout this summer whenever you think the plants neeed it. This routine is usually done at 3 growth stages: initially to water in the transplants, again at first flowering and finally at first fruit set.

Your plants will continue to be stunted because of the woody "soil"; I had to replace half the "soil" with a much more expensive high quality bagged soil (gotta love the prices and selection of Ace Hardware, Home Depot and Amazon!) to get normal growth and production the NEXT year. (This also reduced the noticeable nutrient uptake problems.

Keep using TomatoTone (look into adding Espoma Garden Lime into planting holes at transplanting - for its organic calcium) and don't be leery of supplementing with weekly foliar spraying of water soluble fertilizes (I use them especially to boost/promote flowering).

Welcome to the fascinating world of gardening!! Welcome!


Thank you so much for your reply! I will try the Epsom salt feeding tonight and start applying a water soluble fertilizer into the routine as well. I'm so disappointed by this "soil", I called prior and did my research but it is very hard to find soil in bulk around these parts. Next year, I am going with the free compost the city offers and amending it myself lol. I top dressed the beds I used the soil in with bagged compost but I guess it's gonna be a hefty amending year for me. I appreciate the tips!
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