Thanks guys! I started using the Miracle Gro AFTER I had noticed these changes on the leaves. I thought it would help but it did not. Regarding possible water stress, I water it regularly every day, same amount, the soil not too moist, not too dry. The fruits, however, grow fast and look VERY healthy. No changes on the stem. I think it's because of a VERY dry air, which is now only 25-35% humid. ***************** Does it look similar to the Cl deficiency on this web-page? http://www.charlottecountyweather.com/tomato.php Thanks again

There was no insect damage. No any other blemish on the surface. Today I tossed another big tomato of the same variety (Mashenka) with the same symptoms. Did not even cut and looked inside. This type of fruit damage usually happens to me in autumn, when the days become cooler and we have morning dew. And it happens more often on certain varieties, with thin skin and soft flesh, such as Malachite box from the last year. I never had BER on my tomatoes. The leaves by now started to show the moderate signs of septoria and I started to spray them regularly. I was thinking that it might be Gray mold, but was not sure enough because it did not look exactly as on the pictures. And it never had any gray fuzz on the surface. It seems that the decay starts inside and it works its way outside appearing as rotten wet spots, which leak liquid excessively and probably spread the infection. So right now I think that it is some kind of fungus and I will spray accordingly. Maria.

A 5 stage 100 gallon per day reverse osmosis filtration system can be had for under $300 and you can install it (easily) yourself. An ionic exchange water softening system won't work because it exchanges Na and Cl ions for the minerals that make your water hard, Ca, Mg, Fe, etc. Hard water causes a build-up of (bi)carbonates in the grow medium and can increase media pH over time to the degree that many essential nutrients become unavailable for uptake. It would be best if you were fertilizing regularly with an acid-forming fertilizer, and flushing the grow medium each time you water, such that the entire soil column gets moistened and at least 20% of the total volume of water applied exits the drain, carrying any build-up of carbonates and other minerals nutrients with it. My suggestion would be to read this short piece I wrote about Good Growing Practices, and compare the information to whatever regimen you have established, to see where improvements might be made. You can also start monitoring moisture levels by using a 'tell' to 'tell' you when it's time to water. The more water your grow medium holds, the more critical getting your watering intervals spaced appropriately becomes . You can depot the plant and examine the roots. If roots are scraggly or dead, or they smell sour and unlike what fresh soil smells like, you're likely over-watering. If the damage is mostly in older leaves, it might be a fluoride toxicity as fluoride accumulates in tissue and can be eliminated from the plant only when affected leaves with the accumulation are shed or removed. Should you start using a water supply w/o fluoride, the new growth will show no symptoms of a fluoride toxicity, but affected leaves would continue to show damage until the affected leaves are shed or removed. Al

These were planted around march 14, both rather small. One was dormant the other had been under lights inside for about a month and a half, since it was shipped to me during the winter. The one under lights was maybe 9", the dormant one maybe 3" or 4"? the indoor one actually started showing symptoms while indoors, the dormant one was initially healthy, but seemed to "catch" whatever this is from the other once they were both planted out. The first one to show signs has nrarly defoliated twice but comes back with the same weird stunted looking growth. They're about 8'-9' apart I think, I'd have to measure to be sure. I also have an invincibelle 2, a smooth hydrangea and a limelight planted the same time, in the same area, but although 2 had issues of their own (limelight lost all it's foliage on being planted out, I might not have hardened it off long enough, and something kept eating my invincibelle until I put a cage around it) they've recovered are doing fine although still small, and only the two macrophyllas seem affected by whatever this is. I am not sure what the ph of that soil is exactly, but we had it tested last year and it came back slightly acidic, somewhat nutrient deficient (we added fertilizer in the recommended amounts) and extremely high in zinc, much like the rest of our yard. I don't think it can be lack of water causing this, they've been on drip irrigation since day 1 and have gotten a deep watering once a week (unless there was a lot of rain) spring, and now at least twice weekly. The soil isn't swampy, it drains ok but I haven't let it get home dry either, water has been regular. Sunlight is morning only, then they're in shade for the afternoon and evening. I see a lot of hydrangeas doing well under trees and against houses around here, so I don't think that's too much shade but I could be wrong. I did give them a quick spray of permethrin each time when I started my yearly battle against squash borers in may, just in case it was some kind of insect damage, but that did nothing so I stopped. I'm located in Arkansas, zone 7. I hope that provides some more clues? Thank you for your help!