My wife and I have noticed the leaves on our tomato and pepper plants have been getting spots and yellowing and eventually falling off. On a couple of tomato plants, the main stem developed a black crack and appeared hollow inside and those plants completely died. We have hundreds of dollars invested in our container garden and are relying on the food. Is their any way to save our plants? Home Depot recommended Neem Oil.
It is possible this is Septoria, but the image also matches other diseases common to Tomatoes. Use the links below to help make a diagnosis.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/vegetable/summersquash/leavesdiscolored.html
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/tomato-diseases.htm
Some of the leaves on my beefsteak tomato plant are curling. What does it need? More water?
This can be caused by disease or environmental causes.
This article will help you pinpoint the cause.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/tomato-leaves-curling.htm
My tomatoes are doing awesome this year! Taller than me and bearing loads of fruit. But recently I noticed that the leaves at some of the extremities are beginning to turn yellow, curl downwards and then go brown and crunchy. It only started a few weeks ago but looks like it has spread between plants. They are grown in medium to large pots with lots of sunlight and some wind keeping them at a good moisture level. I have also pruned the base leaves to increase airflow. Is it lack of soil nutrients, yellow leaf curl virus or something else? Thanks!
It makes sense that it took a few weeks to spread: this sounds like leaf curl -- and it's no surprise, depending on where you live, considering the extreme weather many areas are seeing this year.
This article may help you identify whether it is in fact definitely leaf curl, and gives instructions on what to do with the plants:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/tomato-leaves-curling.htm
Check this article as well, just in case there's something other than the leaf curl virus going on:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/tomato-diseases.htm
I have fall tomato plants growing in Louisiana on my concrete driveway (the only place I have enough sun during the day). I have the buckets w/holes drilled on the bottom of the buckets and sitting on 1x6 boards with about a 6" gap between the boards. We have rain forecast for the next several days. Do I need to take them out of the rain for a few days? Will too much rain damage or ruin the plants? They are only about 8-10 inches tall now.
If you have heavy rains coming and the plants can be moved, you can certainly move them to a sheltered location to lessen the risk of your plants being overwhelmed or stressed with excess water.
If you are unable to move them just make sure the excess moisture is draining freely from you containers. It is wise to rise the pots up from a flat surface as you have done.
I use a compost made from cotton burrs. If the cotton was sprayed with an herbicide or pesticide, will it affect vegetable plants it is used around? Thank you. dora
In most cases the herbicides or pesticides would not have an effect after 14 days.
Here are some links with more information.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/tomato-leaves-curling.htm
I am growing tiny golden tomatoes. The flower appears and is then covered by a pod. The tomato then grows inside the pod. The pods are turning yellow and falling off while the tomatoes are the size of a pea or smaller. Is this right?
I believe you are referencing Tomatillo.
Here are some links to refresh you on the care requirements.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomatillo/growing-tomatillo-plants.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomatillo/harvesting-tomatillo-fruits.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomatillo/tomatillo-pruning.htm
My mom's tomato plant got attacked by squirrels. There were exposed roots and most of the plant is really brown and looks dead. Some is still green but it's not connected to the roots. I was wondering if I should cut the green off and stick it in the dirt, or if there is another way to save any part of the plant.
"Occasionally" if there are enough "air roots" on a plant you can in fact re-root it. This may or may not be an option for your mom's tomato plants.
You could also try some simple pruning off of the dead stems to allow the rest of the plant a chance to continue growing, however as it gets later in the growing season, her plants will have a lesser chance of growing blooms and setting fruit.
Either option -- or both -- is certainly worth a try. Your mom really has nothing left to lose at this point, right?
These articles will give you additional information about how to approach a decision and then how to act on it:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/reattaching-broken-stems.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/should-you-prune-tomato-plants.htm