Container Tomatoes?
Question:Ok spin off of my other question, These tomatoes I have are for containers. I have grown them in containers before and they did great, don't remember the leaves curling though, I just need to know if I need to feed them with tomatoe food, or another watering (2 times) a day like another website states or they just wilting, curling because its freaken hot?
Answers:
I grow two Early Girl tomato plants in containers on my deck every summer and I've learned, through trial and error, that they have to be kept watered whenever the soil starts to dry. If you let them go dry, the leaves will wilt and curl and it will affect the fruit (they'll get dead spots on the bottom of each one). Also, at least a couple times during the growing season, the fertilize the plants with Miracle Grow that is designed just for tomato plants. The directions on the box read that this easy-to-use fertilizer can be used every week to two weeks. Are your plants planted in soil especially formulated for a container? That's important. The soil should also be refreshed from last year's usage.
If you think that your tomato plants are receiving really intense sunlight in mid-day, try moving them into filtered sunlight. I have my 35-gal. tomato tubs on casters so they can be easily moved. I can't plant tomatoes in the ground because our yard is lined with black walnut trees which emit juglone (via the roots) and that is toxic to most vegetables, such as tomatoes
P.S.--I just took a quick look at my tomato plants and the newer leaves are normally a bit curled. Only the leaves near the bottom are relatively flat.
The reason the leaves are curling is they may need a good watering or they may have gotten a parasite of some kind. I do not know what they are called but I had that same problem one year with the leaves curling and it was because of a parasite. Early in the morning check underneath the leaves for bugs,that's when the bugs will be there. If there are some you will need to dust them with a product that is safe to put on them. Your local garden center will know what you need. Good Luck.
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