Fertilizer burn on this tomato plant?
Question:Hello everyone,
Could someone tell me if this looks like fertilizer burn? I'm new to gardening. I built a homemade Earthbox out of a plastic storage bin. I added about a cup and a half of fertilizer down the center strip. The directions for the box called for two cups, but that for me seemed way too much... it wouldn't even mound up that high. We have been having afternoon showers here, though... for the past three days+. The box/fertilizing strip are covered with a white garbage bag that acts as mulch. I'm thinking that rain could have wet the strip? I planted this transplant during the evening on a humid/rainy day.
If it is fertilizer burn what can I do? Immediately remove the fertilizer and tomato? The box also has a bellpepper transplant that seems to have the ends doing the same "burning" thing...
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Answers:
That doesn't look like the fertilizer burn that occurred with my rose bush. If it is, I think you really need to water the heck out of it. That's what I did to my roses and they turned around in about a week.
Yes your frying them to death..carefully dig the plants up and try putting them in TOTALY new soil.The soil you now have is "SUPERCHARGED" and will never good unless you have a huge garden to scatter it in. Just go fresh..try to save them..
In addition to the other answers - which are good - you may have a plant disease that is ravaging store-bought tomato plants this year. I believe it is a virus and some nurseries and home improvement stores are selling diseased plants. If that's what it is, the plant is doomed. If not, one of the other remedies suggested here might work.
If you want a local, expert opinion, take a few healthy and browned leaves from you tomato and pepper plants to your local state or county agricultural station, typically located at a college campus nearby. These are government agencies that can quickly identify all sorts of plant problems at no cost.
If you plants have the "plague", destroy them and turn the soil in which they were planted over into some other part of your yard. Next year, plant seed from a trusted seed source, preferably mail order.
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