I have a farily young tomato plant (maybe a foot and a half high) in my garden in AZ in pretty much full sun. The top of the plant is doing great, it is very green and getting taller pretty quick. The bottom branches of the plant are dying and turning brown one by one. The plant is producing both flowers and tomatoes and there is no signs of rot on the bottom of any of the tomatoes (which I believe is a result of over watering). Any ideas what might cause this?
My whole garden is set up on a drip system and 2 GPH drip heads that turn on at 6AM for 4 min and then again at 1:30 in the afternoon for 4 min. I turned them on twice since the soil drys out SO fast here.
2007-05-08 05:59:22 · 3 answers · asked by 65stang 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Actually my sugar snap peas are doing the same thing, the top is nice and green and growing well and the bottom leaves are toast
2007-05-08 06:00:32 · update #1
I think the problem may be watering them at 1:30 in the afternoon. That is in the hottest sun and the water is scorching the plants. I think once in the morning at 6 is good and try another after the sun goes down in the evening.
2007-05-08 06:43:32 · answer #1 · answered by ♥Mommyof3♥ 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually its probably from the water from the drip system. Try keeping the drip system from getting water on the leaves. Keep the drip as close to the base of the plant as possible. You actually might want to try a soaker hose instead where the water permeates through the hose and soaks the ground.
The other possibility is a blight on your plants. But since the peas are doing it to, I'd guess it's the drip system.
Another thing I noticed was the time of your second watering. I wouldn't recommend 1:30pm. That's right in the middle of the day. If the water gets on the leaves it can act like a magnifier and burn your leaves. Try more like 6 or 7pm or more when the sun is going down for a second watering.
2007-05-08 13:43:09 · answer #2 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You haven't given any indication of the condition of any soil covering that you use, so I am assuming that probably there is none adn this is the reason that the bottoms are drying out so fast. Cover the soil with leaves, or grass clippings (without any applications of weed control), or other organic material and this will keep the ground moist and will cause less reflection of sunlight off the soil to injure the lower branches. This is great for any plants
2007-05-08 13:50:38 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋