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Growing Tomatoes

Thinking Ahead to Next Year!

9 years ago

I always start my plants from seeds I have saved. I used the same starting medium (name brand seed starting mix) as I always have, indoors, under lights on a heat mat. This year, without exception all my seedlings came up quickly and strong, gradually turned purple after putting out the first set of permanent leaves, and then they stalled. Self-diagnosed as a potassium deficiency, started fertilizing when I put them out to harden off before transplanting. No real recovery until they were planted in the ground.

Survival was questionable for the first couple weeks, but they did pull through. Fruit set seems light, and I have only just started picking. Compared to my neighbor who always buys his at the local farmers market, I am about 3 weeks behind. That could also be weather related as it has been rather a cool, damp summer. Still several other people are bragging about bumper crops.

My question is, why all of a sudden this year the deficiency? How can I prevent it? If it happens again, how can I cure it? Is there a better starting medium that I can use? In my growing cycle, this was a light tomato year, but next year is big time production and I can't afford the delay. TYIA!

Steve

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Comments (5)

labradors_gw
9 years ago
Three things spring to mind:

The supplier changed the ingredients in the grow medium

Purple leaves could indicate that they were a little chilly.

Perhaps your light bulb needs to be replaced.

Linda
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digdirt2
9 years ago
Purpling of leaves in young seedlings is almost a given and it is a phosphorus deficiency (not potassium ) IF there is actually any deficiency which there almost always isn't. It is cool air/soil temp related and age of plant/root development related. Search "purple leaves' here for many, many discussions about it. Also lots of info about it over on the Growing from Seed forum here.

Trying to fix it almost always makes it worse instead. Instead focus on encouraging root development rather than stimulating top growth and don't worry about it. Of the couple thousand tomato transplants we grow every early spring 90% of will have some purpling of the leaves and it all goes away on its own as the plant matures from the 'toddler' stage.

Dave
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sheltieche
9 years ago
yep, live and learn.
Purple leaves by themselves are not a big deal. But there are quite a few tricks to growing stocky healthy seedling that set fruits earlier and produce better.
Look under post 7 in this link, reprint from another person, Ami

Here is a link that might be useful: cold treatment
0
skeip
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks Dave, I knew what I meant, I just couldn't type it!! Phosphorus deficiency. Bulbs are two year old fluorescent growlights. But the temperature thing is a distinct possibility. I grow them in the basement because it is cooler, and with our extended polar vortex this winter, it may have been cooler than I thought. Timing would seem to be right also, as soon as they get their first set of true leaves I turn off the heat mat, and things get much cooler. Also, I know fluorescent output is pretty highly temperature related, could my cooler temperatures have impacted light output as well? I read through the attached thread, thanks lindalana, and once again, more reasons why I really need a greenhouse!!

Steve
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Gregory123
9 years ago
Something I did this year for the first time, was add Azomite to my soil. The plants responded very positively. Azomite can be hard to find in some areas. I got mine at a hydroponics store. A little goes a long way and seems to work wonders for plant health. I applied it once in early spring, just before I planted the seedlings outdoors.
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