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Growing Tomatoes

Help- Tomato Problem- What is it?

13 years ago

Hi! For the first time, I've got a problem with my tomato plant that I need help on. You're all so knowledgeable, so I hope you can assist. I've got about 10 tomato plants. 9 of them look fantastic. My Opalka started looking a little odd over the past week. We've had a LOT of rain for the last 3 weeks. 3" this week, about the same last week. It's been very wet and in the 60's or high 50's most nights. I don't use any herbicide, but I realize it can drift. The Opalka new growth started to be limp, small leaves and droopy. The plants 3 feet away look fine. I'm tempted to just pull this Opalka out. Should I? I could buy another plant and start over. I don't want to waste the little space I've got or have a disease that could spread. I've given it a week to perk up, but it isn't changing. Please let me know- would you pull it out? If not, what would you do?

I hope these pictures post ok. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Karen

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Comments (3)

digdirt2
13 years ago
Other than perhaps some water-logged soil - and you can't control for the weather ;) - your plant looks ok to me. It's color is good and there don't seem to be any signs or symptoms of disease.

Opalka has a reputation for a somewhat wispy, droopy appearance at times during it's growth and that appearance could be magnified if the soil is water-logged and the roots are stressed. But that usually disappears once the growing conditions stabilize and the plant buffs up quickly. At least that has been my personal experience with it.

If it was my plant, I'd leave it alone and just monitor it hoping the weather improves quickly. I wouldn't try feeding it until the weather improves. That would just be more stress.

Dave
kirchren
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Dave. I guess the reason I was freaking out a bit is that all the new growth is weak and limp, not lively. If you touch the new leaves, they feel so wimpy, not like growth on the other plants.

I know the rain is stressing them out, cos it is stressing me out too! Hope it bounces back.

Hope you have a great season!
Karen
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kirchren
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13 years ago
Thanks for the help and advice. After a couple of dry days, the plant is starting to look less droopy. I'm glad I took your advice and didn't pull out the plant.

Karen

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