Pic

1 more

cant tell much but if the lower leaves are turning yellow (I had some doing that) it's low Nitrogen.

Purple color sometimes is associated with phosphorus deficiency ; light green/yellow nitrogen ...
An application of any all purpose fertizer should take care of it.

What and how often have you been feeding it? It needs more or more often.

Dave

An all purpose liquid or water soluble fertilizer should be applied and you will notice quite a difference in about a week. Your plant is starving, it needs food right away. If you apply a granular fertilizer it will take way too long to work. A liquid will work almost immediately.

I don't know much about potted plants but it is pale...seems to have room for much more soil in the top space as it settled the past weeks...needs food as mentioned...like a pre-teen that announces vegan but does not understand protein...not life or death, but needs some help to survive a good season...(or a nice irresistible BLT to snap them out of it)
Find a good fert and soak well...but the small pot will prevent a good growing harvest. Not much to do about that but grow in a bigger pot. For this year with some good fruit forming, some food will keep it alive...and it is far from dying and looks rather healthy but in need of fert/food help asap.

I use an organic granular fert. Sounds like I need liquid....any suggestions on brand?

I have a fish/seaweed liquid fert. Would that help?

It is in a pretty big pot w good drainage. I am not sure of the size exactly but it is from Costco. It is way bigger than a 5 gallon bucket...it is probably 15 gallon or maybe more.

Thanks all! Tomatoes in the ground look much better as they suck up nutrients from the soil. .I am new to growing in containers.

I use an organic granular fert. Sounds like I need liquid...

Organic granular ferts don't work in containers. Unlike in the grounds, there is no active soil food web in a container to digest them so the plants can use the produced nutrients. Liquid organics will work but have to be supplied on a regular basis every 7-10 days. Fish/seaweed work well.

Depending on the brand/type of granular you have it may be possible to mix it in water, let it set to dissolve, and use it on the plants. The label should contain instructions for how to make it into a 'tea' if it will work that way.

Dave

Agree. Organic gardening in containers is definitely a challenge. Maybe you can come up with something that works and share the info with others. Your leaf color will be a good litmus test to see if the plants are getting enough nutrients (well...nitrogen anyway) fast enough.

Speaking of granular ferts not working in containers, I am confused.

I bought some fish meal from someone who owned a nursery, and she told me that she sprinkled a tablespoon of fish meal over the soil of a large pot and scratched it in. She reckoned that it made things grow!

I potted my early tomato plants in "Pro Mix for veggies" (which I think had some nutrients in it). At potting up time, I added the fish meal and some CalMag, and I've recently given them another dose of both. My tomato plants appear healthy and are producing tomatoes.

My major hurdle with this is keeping doggy noses out of my containers after the fish meal has been applied!

Linda

I definitely messed up by not fertilizing them in several weeks. I have 4 tomato plants in containers. This one is the worst, I have one almost as bad, and the other 2 look great. The last 2 were planted up last and hence were fed last. My granular does not give directions to make a tea. I fed with Neptune Harvest fish/seaweed today. I used the granular yesterday. I realize those might take time.

It is all about learning so I appreciate all the insight :)

You could probably make a tea from the granular by dissolving, lets say, 1 weeks recommended application in water and applying it. I'd definitely give it a try, but then again I subscribe to the mad-scientist theory of gardening :-)

The only organic fertilizer that I use is Manure (Cow, horse, chicken). And I use them as amendments not really as fertilizers.

I have respect to those who practice organic fertlizing, but I have come to believe that when it comes to fertilizing it make no or very little difference to the plants whether it is inorganic or organic. Furthermore the effect cannot be detected in the final product (fruits, veggies). To me the most significant aspect of organic fertilizing is the concern for the environment. Inorganic fertilizers, used in excess, can become environmentally pollutant.

The slight purple color in the leaves concerns me. Most likely, this is a phosphorous deficiency. You want to water in a liquid fertilizer with a low nitrogen number and a high middle number. A last high number won't hurt, so something like 2-6-6 or 2-8-6.

I happen to use WOW which is like 9-2-2 or something (it changes) and N-Lite which is like 2-6-6, so I can apply them differently as needed. Something like the N-Lite should help.