Tomato Bud Browning (flower, growing, fertilizing, containers)

[simonj4599]

I have an ongoing problem growing tomatoes in Boca. At first I tried pots where the problem was worse, now I am using "upside down planters" which seem a little better.
My plants start great but by the time my first tomatoes start to ripen I get leaf browning and the new blossoms turn brown and drop without producing fruit. I prune off the brown leaves and end up with an empty vine with a few leaves at the end.
I assume it is some sort of fungal/bacterial issue. I have tried spraying weekly with both copper fungicide and with a 3 in 1 vegetable plant disease spray, neither have worked.
I am ready to give up. Can anyone help.

[TerraDown]

Regular, equal watering, and fertilizing any plant in the family solanaceae (tomatoes and peppers, other ornamentals) is a given. Too much copper kills any plant.
Buy some Tomato fertilizer, (use every 9 days) water enough to keep soil moist, but not dripping wet.

If you suspect fungus, the soil can be contaminated for----ever. Throw it out, along with the pot,
and start over with soil-less mix. Use Osmocote beads for micronutrient feeding. Replace those every 3 months.

And a given, Florida is filled with fungus. My tomatoes eventually catch a fungal problem every year, hence I let them fruit (does not affect) but then kill off and rotate beds--in your case pots...
Peppers are hardier for me and I let them live for years, they don't get fungus like their cousin.

If this is too much, just buy organic. Good luck, I love growing tomatoes, peppers and lettuce down here.

[simonj4599]

I should have added that prior to planting I spray my containers with bleach (and rinse) thoroghly to make sure they carry no disease. I buy new potting mix each season and add vegtable fertilizer to the soil.

[TerraDown]

Yes, that will kill fungus, I just didn't want to overload the post. And, I didn't know you knew that-rinsing in bleach and salt can save the pots-not the soil.
Veggie fertilizer is not the same as tomato fertilizer. Even watering is important.
And as stated, plants don't like copper. That's why it will kill certain fungus off, but will also kill the plant if over-used.

Lay off the copper. The plant is good for one season only. Let it fruit, and then yank it.

And I know this because my wife's business is plants from this family-you should see our
tomatoes
http://www.trumpetflowers.com/
Yes, Angel trumpets are in the exact same family-just look at the blooms and imagine our tomatoes.


edit: here's how we grow tomatoes down here:
http://www.trumpetflowers.com/text/c...w-tomatoes.htm


edit edit: OP, I don't know how long you've lived in this climate, but if you really love growing tomatoes, only grow cherry and grape types in summer, and if you want beefsteaks, grow them here in winter. That will give you optimal success.
Beefsteaks have more pest issues, use this organic spray:
https://smile.amazon.com/Mantis-MPP0...antis+miticide

[simonj4599]

Thank you - I am getting one good crop - but there is lots of blooms so I always hope for a second crop but the blooms turn bown and drop...
I guess I'll just have to be happy with one crop.

[LIcenter]

Originally Posted by simonj4599

Thank you - I am getting one good crop - but there is lots of blooms so I always hope for a second crop but the blooms turn bown and drop...
I guess I'll just have to be happy with one crop.

Possibly too much water, or lack of calcium. Look up tomato blossom end rot. Tried to drop a link, but something is glitchy today.

[wit-nit]

Browning of the flower blossoms is an environmental situation either improper watering or temperature fluctuations, or both.
.Blossom end rot is the browning/black on the bottom of the developing tomato itself.

[simonj4599]

From what I understand it's not possible to over water in an upside down container - the water immediately drains out. Also there ins't much in the way of temperature fluctuations in Boca.
Any other thoughts?

[LIcenter]

Originally Posted by simonj4599

From what I understand it's not possible to over water in an upside down container - the water immediately drains out. Also there ins't much in the way of temperature fluctuations in Boca.
Any other thoughts?

How often do you water those upside down pots? Like you said they drain very fast, so you have an issue where the pot is not holding the water long enough to benefit the plant. A dry wet situation is going to cause stress resulting in various problems like you are encountering. I once tried those pots on a very easy to grow stringbean. I found that I had to water no less than three times a day just to keep the plant from browning out.

[simonj4599]

I water them every second day - if they start to dry out I can see the effect immediately as the leaves start to curl/wilt and then I water immediately.