I am growing cherry tomatoes.?
Question:the plants are around fifteen centimetres high. I think I have given them too much tomato fertilizer because the stems and turned a bit dark. Have ruined my chances of the plant surviving and producing fruit?
Asking from the UK.
Answers:
If your tomato stems are purplish, then they have suffered from the cold. But these plants are quite tough, as long as it does not go below about 5 degree C. If the plants have had too much fertiliser, then they would be growing rather lank and straggly, and the leaves would be large and thickish. They will recover, just tie them to a stake to prevent them from falling over, a refrain from fertiliser for a wee or two, till you see the flowers forming.
Probably not. If they get enough water it will dilute the fertilizer. Plants with too much nitrogen tend to make a lot of plant and fruit late.
You must never give fertilizer til the first flowers appear. Stop now and water with plain water. Keep in the sun and put out on the 1st June so frost has gone away. You should be ok..
just is case you have ruined your chances go out and buy I few more plants.it all survive and provide all the better!
Don't start to feed them tomato food until they have flowers on them, and even then if you feed (or water) them too much you will ruin the taste.
If they are in a fairly good compost or soil they will have nearly everything they need for the moment.
Last year I treated my toms to frequent leaf feeds with liquid seaweed and very little else and they tasted great. I use it on everything I grow now and have been really pleased with the results (and the savings !)
dark leaves is suposed to be lack of water...give them a feed once a week...give the actual stem a shake now and again it helps the rooting system
They might be ok if you just use water for a couple of weeks - they shouldn't be fed until they have started flowering and then use diluted Tomarite, if possible.
You can put them outside now, in a sheltered spot, in full sun and never allow them to dry out. If they are likely to catch the breeze, it might be an idea to support them with canes before they get much bigger. Hope you get a good crop.
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