I have/had beautiful, big tomato plants, full of green tomatoes, blossoms, and plenty of vegetation... I water nightly... I feed about twice a week (miracle grow), and in the past, this has always done a great job for them... This year though, it seems my tomato plants are just up and dying... This is the third plant, outside, wilted, looking like I haven't watered it in weeks... yet that's just not true. I live in GA, if that helps. Any ideas? I like to go as natural as possible, so I'd rather not use a pesticide if possible... but I'm just at a loss as to what's up with my maters...
You may have Verticillium Wilt Pammie. Verticillium wilt is caused by a soil-borne fungus and it can affect many different vegetables including tomatoes. The fungus can stay in the soil for many years, so crop rotation is a good idea. The symptoms of this fungus are: wilting during the hottest part of the day and recovering at night, yellowing and eventually browning between the leaf veins starting with the older, lower leaves and discoloration inside the stems. This fungus also inhibits the plants ability to take in water and nutrients and will eventually kill the plant. VW is even more pronounced in cool weather. The only thing to do, sadly. if your plants are infected is to remove the plants completely and choose more resistant varieties next time around.
Two things struck me as out of place, watering nightly, try watering in the morning. The plants may be open to mildewing, staying damp all night. Some of the water would evaporate off after watering during the day time. The other is using Miracle grow twice a week. I use it also, but only use it once every other week. Read the MG package and see what it recomends. I am thinking you may be overwatering. If it were me I would only water every other day, even in Georgia. Unless the maters are in pots, then it would be every day I would think.
Id tend to asgree with the Capt, just give it a go watering every other day and definitely water in the morning before the bright sunshine gets to them. Im not sure overfeeding will causes this but i would say that you neednt feed this often. Good luck with them!
I agree with too much water possibly !! Tomatoes will act the same if too much water as not enough !! They need to dry out a bit between waterings !! Also check the back side of the leaves for tiny critters !! Wash off any you find with water and a squirt of dish soap.
