Terrible looking tomatoes

[SuperChemicalGirl]

I just wanted to go on record of stating that, although I do tend to murder plants with extreme ease, I did not have anything to do with these tomatoes, except picking out the plants at a big box store, which looked good prior to planting.

These are at my boyfriends house in a topsy turvey. He grew maters in the topsy turvey last year, but got some kind of (what we think is) blight last year at the end of the season. The planters stayed outside all winter (we have a very harsh winter) and he replanted in them recently.

The day he planted the tomatoes it was very hot and sunny. He had to kindof mash the roots to get them in the planter. I think that's what's wrong with the plants. He thinks they have the blight stuff again. They looked sad for a few days and now one of the plants is looking really awful. Any thoughts?

The better looking of the two:

The worst:

Them on planting day:

 

[NwMtGardener]

They kinda look like they may have gotten sunburned to me...did you take them right from the big box greenhouse and put them out in the sun? They like a little adjustment period...Called a hardening off period. Just take it gradual...put outside in the shade for a short time - an hour or so? for a few days, then maybe try a sunnier spot for a short time for a few days...till they're looking like theyre doing okay...maybe a week to 2 for hardening off? Depends on what the weather is like how long I do it for.

Do you have somewhere shady to hang them and baby them for a while?

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

They were outside at the big box store, so I had assumed they were already hardened off?

Not really a good place to put them out of the sun, and it was 91 today so they're probably nice and toasted!

 

[hoodat]

It could possibly be the same blight from last years spores. If you want to try again, empty out all of the potting mix and sterilize the planters with a strong bleach sollution, then refill with new soil. Wash your hands thoroughly before putting in the new soil so you don't recontaminate it.

 

[vfem]

I don't see the common ringing with blight on these... good chance its a burn, but may very well be mildew.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Heh, yah, LOTS of things out there wanting to do away with your garden plants, especially tomatoes. Keep taking care of them though, they may do just fine!!

 

[digitS']

Never assume that the garden center or big box have hardened off your plants. They are likely to have been moved out of a greenhouse directly into a truck.

The foliage on plants in a greenhouse are often very lush and lovely. They look wonderful!

The big box wants to move them as quickly as possible. Space and watering are issues - so they are outdoors or under fiberglass roofs . . . then gone! Not much has been done to guarantee the purchaser any real success with the plants.

Steve

 

[journey11]

They do look rather burnt/dried out to me too. Being off the ground, I would doubt it was blight. That is usually contracted when water splashes up from the ground onto the lower leaves. They don't look like they've been in the planter for long either. I'd say they weren't hardened off... Pinch that bloom off too. The plant is too stressed to fruit right now. Hopefully they'll bounce back for you. The groundhogs nibbled mine down to the ground and a few of them did sprout back up.

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

Thanks, I'll go over tomorrow, and if they're still alive take the flowers off and the nasty parts.

You guys are great!