Help! What's wrong with my tomatoes??

[MrsJewelsRae]

We started tomatoes (Romas and Bonnie Best) from seed inside many weeks ago, then transplanted to larger pots and moved them to our greenhouse a while ago. They were doing wonderfully, we had 100+, gave some away. Last weekendwe planted them in the garden outside, they were a bit dry when I planted as the kids were sick with the flu and I forgot to water them for 2-3 days. But they seemed to perk up once I got them in the soil, strong stems, etc. Now a week later and almost every single one of them the leaves are giong yellow and are dry. They have been getting enough water. My dh surrounded them in grass clippings to fight weeds. What could be the reason? We didn't have frost according to wether network, though it did get close. So what gives? Is there any way I can save them?? Does it sound like disease or was it from getting insufficient water before they were transplanted to the garden? I'm so dissapointed! I will try to post pics later if it will help...

[limette]

The grass clippings might be it. Grass gets very, very hot (burn worthy) when it decomposes. If you piled enough of it, close to the stems it could have burnt your plants.

Did you harden them off first before you put them outside? Could also be shock from the change in conditions.

[MrsJewelsRae]

nak.. thnks. no idea what harden off is??? the grass clippings are several inches away from the stems, but that is also good to know!

[limette]

when your plants have been babied (in the house, under lights, greenhouse) they are used to an ideal environment. to harden them off, you bring them outside gradually, first in shady, wind protected spot for maybe an hour a day and gradually expose them to the weather conditions. it can take a while. i hardened my tomatoes for 2 weeks before i finally stuck them outside.

if you take them from greenhouse to in the ground with no hardening off period, they can die from the sudden exposure.

hardening off

[mamadelbosque]

They honestly sound like our tomatoes - last year I got one fruiting from them and then they all withered and died. I *think* they (along with all my squash, potatoes & cucurbits), got powdery mildew. All the plants we set outside in peat pots started having yellow leaves this year, so we started spraying them with Serenity (from Ohio Earth Foods) - and so far they look WAY better. We've sprayed them (and all my cucurbits, squash & potatoes) 2x now (last two sundays) and have plans to continue on through the summer in hopes of keeping it at bay.

Good luck!!

[MrsJewelsRae]

Ugh... hope my tomatoes aren't screwed! Guess I should have read up on what I was doing, it'll be pretty bad if I kill all my tomato plants here- in the tomato capital of the world.

[MacKinnon]

A couple thoughts in addition to the idea that they aren't hardened off... First, it's been cold and wet here in the Detroit area, so I suspect you have had similar weather. It's not great 'outside' weather for tomatoes, when it's 42 at night like it's been lately. Also, if the grass clippings are green, they can be way to high in nitrogen to add directly to a garden. Good luck I hope your tomatoes make it!!