AboutJim Kennard Expertise I can answer questions on vegetable gardening - Raised Beds, Container, Soil-Beds, "Poor Man's Hydroponics", Organic, etc.
Experience Gardened using The Mittleider Method for 30 years. Conducted seminars, college-level training programs, produced 80 video lectures, written hundreds of gardening articles, answered thousands of gardening questions, created a gardening website www.foodforeveryone.org with free ebook, free greenhouse plans, FAQ section with 355 gardening articles.
Organizations Food For Everyone Foundation - President - Mission is "Teaching the world to grow food one family at a time."
Publications Numerous website publications
Education/Credentials Taught personally for 20 years by Dr. Jacob R. Mittleider, "The Garden Doctor", assisted him in creating and conducting major gardening training projects in America and Russia.
Awards and Honors Master Mittleider Gardening Instructor
Question Dear Jim,
I need help with my tomatoes. I have grown them in a garden before. But this
year is my first growing them in containers.
In the pots is a mix of Sta-green(s-a) and a cheap topsoil, 1/3 s-a and 2/3
topsoil. I started them from seeds and had them in miracle-gro potting soil to
start with. They did very well. Then I transplanted them into straight s-a.
Realizing that this was probably a mistake I was able to fix their dirt a week
later, into the above mix. The bottom leaves started changing to yellow after
the first transplant. And they have not really corrected themselves. I water
every day, and they are in 8 in. pots. What am I doing wrong? Also I have
them on a very shaded porch. I am on the 2nd floor so I really don't have lots
of options. I am thinking of elevating them so they get more sun. Do you
think I am watering them too much? The leaves that are more yellow have
green blotches in them and the main veins are a darker color, a kinda purpley
green. The top leaves are nice and green. Thank you very much!!
Sincerely,
Ruth
Answer Tomatoes must have full sun to do well. The yellowing is probably being contributed to by the shady conditions. However, it could be several other things also, such as:
1. Too much water - how is the drainage in your containers?
2. The soil mix might have too much - or not enough - nutrition I am not familiar with Sta-green. We use straight sawdust and sand, and feed accurately using balanced natural mineral nutrients. I recommend you read the free ebook at www.growfood.com in the Learn section.
3. Each transplant causes stress, and plants often respond with yellowing of the lower leaves. This is because when there is stress to the root system, or any loss of roots, they can't support as many leaves as they had before. The plant lets old leaves die in order to keep the more important new leaves healthy.
