How to Identify Tomato Problems and Prevent Them

Tiny white flying pests on tomatoes 
Q. I have tiny white flying insects attacking my tomatoes. They appear mostly on the underside of the leaves, and leave tiny little discolorations where …

Can I grow tomatoes in clay soil? 
Q. Can I grow tomatoes in clay soil? A. The short answer is yes. Here are a couple of ways you can do so. One hole at a time. While other garden …

Is it normal for a tomato to have bright white seeds inside? 
Q. I've lived many years and eaten many tomatoes but have never had one that was predominantly white inside - seeds, flesh, etc. Is this normal? A. …

Tomato thieves 
Q. Is there anyway to keep squirrels and other wildlife from grabbing my tomatoes, taking a bite and running away? I have covered them with netting (fastened …

Why are the flowers on my tomato plants dying off before developing? 
Q. I'm a newbie tomato grower (this year's my first attempt). I live in Cancun, so we've got average daytime temps of around 30 C (8 6F) and high humidity. …

Lots of green leaves, no blossoms 
Q. I have large, green, healthy tomato plants with no blossoms. Why? A. An abundance of tomato foliage with few or no blossoms is most often attributed …

Blight spray on tomato fruit 
Q. I am wondering: does the spray used against blight for tomatoes have a waiting time period after which fruit must not be eaten? Fungicide products say …

How can we get tomatoes on our plants instead of all leaves? 
Q. We have planted our tomatoes and now we are getting big leafy plants and very few tomatoes. The crotch shoots have been removed and the plants are a …

Sparse foliage and color too light 
Q. The foliage on my tomatoes seems sparse and the color too light. But each plant has lots of blooms and several tomatoes. What might be the problem? …

How can I get rid of funguses in the soil? 
Q. I have 2 tomato plants from last year that I saved. They where doing well, but we had a wet winter. The water drained away from the base of the tomatoes. …

Can tomato blight be spread by tillers and tomato cages? 
Q. Can tomato blight be spread to a new garden by tiller or tomato cages that came into contact with blight the year before? We are starting a new tomato …

Tumbling Tom Tomatoes Aren't Tumbling 
Q. I potted up 6 hanging baskets with tumbling toms, 3 red and 3 yellow. They look great and are about 22 inches tall, They are not tumbling over but growing …

Growing tomatoes under shade cloth 
Q. I have raised Juliet tomatoes for several years with very little problems and consistent taste from start to finish except for the past 2 years. We …

Went away for 3 days and now my tomato plants are yellowing! 
My tomato plants are in a small plot, which is a turned-up old flower bed that's been covered in black tarp and landscaping stones for several years. When …

Tomato leaves are curling 
Q. I have just noticed that my tomato leaves are curling. The flowers are starting to dry up but I do not see any spots. I was told is early blight. Should …

Tomato Blossoms Not rated yet
Q. Our tomatoes didn't have much luck this year. Blossoms fall apart before they set fruit. I heard that when flowers bloom, we should cut back the water …

Question about fertilizer... Not rated yet
Q. I have heard that Epsom salts can be used for fertilizer. Do you agree and would you recommend it as a natural fertilizer? Tomato Dirt responds …

What type of container for growing tomatoes? Not rated yet
Q. What type of container is best for growing tomatoes on a deck? We have both clay pots and plastic ... is one preferred over the other? A. Both …

Growing Tomatoes Inside During Winter Not rated yet
Q. Can I grow a couple plants in my shop this winter with grow lights? If so, let me know any tips for first time effort. A. There are three places …

Many blooms, little fruit Not rated yet
Q. I have 8 plants grown from seeds, now in pots of varying sizes. Stems strong; leaves green, blooms a many for last 4 weeks. However, the blooms do …

Clay soil; not many leaves, blossoms, or fruit on tomato plants Not rated yet
Q. I planted my tomatoes sometime ago. I have 12 plants. Three are growing and have leaves and blossoms. I had little green tomatoes almost as soon as …

Tomato Plant Suckers Not rated yet
Q. Should I prune all the suckers from my tomato plants? A. Pruning tomato plants can maximize the number, size, and flavor of your tomatoes. So some …

Why are tomato plants are dying? Not rated yet
Q. Our tomato plants have light brownish, grayish leaves. They are sick and dying! Can you help? A. There are at least 3 possible diseases that …

Lack of Tomato Production  Not rated yet
Q. My plants have only produced 3 tomatoes. They have been growing in a 5 gallon bucket. I drilled two 2" holes in the side. The plants are growing …

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Blossoms falling off, blackened Not rated yet
Q. I just planted my tomatoes, so this is a preventative question. Last year I had a problem with blossoms turning black on the stem right beneath the …

Worried about the Oregon wet cold spring Not rated yet
Q. I just transplanted my starter tomatoes to my patch garden at work. I started them from seeds. Great seeds - all came up. Now, I'm worried. I …

Hanging tomato shriveled and died  Not rated yet
Last year, in late May/June, I planted tomatoes in a 5 gallon bucket with holes in the side, like a hanging plant. I kept them watered, but they died. …

Poor Root Development Not rated yet
When I pulled my tomato plants this fall, I was surprised to find that the plants have very little root development. Some had only a six-inch diameter …