Stunted Tomato Plants

emcatev · Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 9:53 pm Post subject: Stunted Tomato Plants

Hi, hope someone can help. Have been growing in a polytunnel for a few years now, rotating beds as best I can. This year I am growing two varieties of tomatoes - Yellow submarine and Roma. The yellow subs are doing fantastic nice long healthy plants with fruit forming nicely Smile

However my problem is the Roma! They were grown in the same manner as the yellow subs but are not looking right. They seem to be stunted, dark heavy foliage, thick stem and seems to be growing in on itself reaching 1 ft tall. Don't know what the prob could be, at a loss here, would be delighted if I had some ideas about the problem!
Have attached 2 pics, they're not great i'm afraid but i hope they make sense to someone!

James Kilkelly · Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:16 am Post subject:

Any new compost/farmyard manure/soil used this year, emcatev?

emcatev · Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:37 am Post subject:

Hi James, starting the seeds off i used a general compost and potted them on using Growise with added John Innes. Even at these early stages I noticed a difference in the growth of the young plants (slow at gaining height, but looking very strong), when I planted them into the tunnel, it was just with the unchanged soil and beded in with some more growise. My initial thoughts were and i'm still inclined to believe that the mediums were too high in nitrogen? ( i think, i get confused when it comes to the soil science) because of the dark foliage and thick strong stem,
i don't know i'm puzzled !

James Kilkelly · Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 12:17 pm Post subject:

My two thoughts were....

1. That you added some compost or FYM that had traces of weedkiller in it.

2. A fertiliser overdose, also known as nutrient burn.

The contortion and curling of leaves with slight edge yellowing would point more towards fertiliser overdose, and your story seems to tie up with it.

You will find that although many varieties will give you a pass for using a medium that is hot with nutrient levels it does not prefer, however once in a while you will find a variety that shows up its dislike to it.
It seems you've found one.

My advice is to ride it out and keep the plant watered as needed.

Although if anyone else has any theories I'd love to hear them.

Greengage · Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 12:45 pm Post subject:

Romas only grow 3ft tall, some tomatoes are determate others are indetermate
in other words some grow tall some grow short, if it has flowers its ok.