Signs of Too Much Rain/Water with Tomato Plants

[@carlwheeler3403]

I'm in Houston too. I quit growing tomatoes in my raised beds because of the rain, I now only grow them in large plastic containers (10 gal) which I picked up at Lowes for $8. I have found that I get the best results if I elevate the pots so I get good drainage, I place the pots on wood pallets but anything to get the pots off of the ground will work and will provide air flow under the pot and allow drainage of excess rain water. With the pots elevated, it helps reduce fungus growth in the soil as well. I also lightly spray the top of the soil with Copper Fungicide mixed at the recommended ratio every 2 weeks. I don't have a single brown spot on any of my tomato plants, they are beautiful and the fruit is perfect. I DO NOT use Epsom Salt in my container tomatoes, it blocks the uptake of calcium in the plant and can result in Blossom End Rot. I apply 1 teaspoon of Epsom Salt to the soil when I first fill the pot prior to planting, I mix it in to the soil very well. I use Miracle Grow during the growing phase. When the plants start to bloom, I side dress the plants with a 1 teaspoon of Calcium Nitrate every 2 weeks and fertilize with 'Master Blend' every 2 weeks. I also spray the foliage every 3 weeks with the following mixture PER GALLON: one 325mg Aspirin, 1 Tbsp Copper Fungicide, 3 Tbsp Hydrogen Peroxide, 2 fl oz of Monterey Garden Insect Spray ( with Spinosad ), 1 Tbsp Calcium Nitrate, 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom Salt. Spray the leaves top and bottom. This setup and process has worked absolutely PERFECT for me. Unbelievable results !!

[@noninoni9962]

If I ate from your garden, I'd be afraid of getting cancer.... It's the first of August, extremely hot and humid, and I still only need to use all organic fertilizers on my tomato plants, and have them in my screened patio to prevent leaf minors and other insect or fungi issues, so I haven't needed any pesticides -- or any other chemicals for that matter.

[@practicalreadiness2314]

Last year was my first year growing tomatoes, and I saw many of these problems without understanding I was drowning my plants. Thanks for the tips!

[@executivegardener]

+Practical Readiness - You bet. The tip is consistent watering and better to be a little dry then sopping wet.

[@timclarke1683]

One of the most thorough educational videos on tomatoes,

[@susanemadai8087]

My tomato plants have been having all of the symptoms you listed. Thank you so much for taking your time to share this video with us!

[@1320trail]

Here's what he hits on: 4:47 - leaf roll 5:51 - root rot and blight 7:43 - blossom end rot 8:28 - splitting

[@Keepskatin]

You can not rush greatest you ingrates. Be grateful he is teaching you something you never knew. You impatient 80s and 90s baby brats.

[@probablystalkingyou]

tldr, for sure

[@guryushka2]

haha, agree with others, tldr; thanks so much for the quick links

[@barbarawashington844]

Can somebody please tell this grandma what "TLDR" stands for? Aahhh... "Too Long,Didn't Read" Who knew they have a dictionary of Internet slang?

[@barbarawashington844]

I appreciate this video. I haven't been able to garden in 25 years, and am doing it all in containers this time around. It's been very wet, and I'm realizing I need to protect my babies from staying soaked. Time to rig up some mini umbrellas with clear plastic over and around the cages. I grew up on a farm, and I'm so excited to have space to garden again, even in pots!

[@teresathomley3703]

Thanks for showing this warts and all. Some gardeners like to hide these problems. This was an exceedingly honest video- and I learned a great deal too.👍

[@lindafritz7611]

Great tutorial! We grew over 250 tomato plants this season and you touch on some excellent ideas that we've been practicing. I've found that epsom salts helps with too much water and improves the calcium content. Coffee grounds from our church are also spread weekly - and prevent the grounds from just ending up in a landfill! Also instead of weed cloth we use either cardboard or paper for weed control and hay to hold it down. Then we turn it all under for next season, giving the ground carbon from the paper and nitrogen from the hay and plants.

[@executivegardener]

+Linda Fritz - Linda, thanks for sharing and it sounds like you had a bumper crop. The cardboard boxes are an excellent idea!

[@sarahlord8234]

Dear Jeff - thank you ! You have put my mind at rest. We have had a lot of unusual heavy rain storms here in the european alps which has caused 4 out of the 5 problems on my tomatoes. Here's hoping the Sun is here to stay and keep the rain away !

[@executivegardener]

Alpine Gardener Glad to hear. Thanks for the feedback and hope the rest of your gardener grows.

[@ashleyncorder]

Hey great video, very helpful. I live in Texas as well. I'm in West Texas where it is extremely hot and dry. We are blessed if it rains. How often do you suggest watering tomatoes with West Texas heat and drought.? Thanks again for all the info.

[@patbootie9552]

We took a 4' x 6' dollar store tarp with a cheap frame thrown together and kept it over our grow bags to let them dry out. We also put grass clippings (more like hay as the rain made it impossible to mow) around bottom of the grow pots. No diseases yet!! Pots did take about 2 wks to dry out. We fertilized again also.

[@chriskennedy7880]

Thanks Jeff, March 26th here in Northern Colorado. Too much rain is never really a problem here. Nonetheless, I've seen all these things happen in my tomato garden and and now I know who to blame. Me!

[@executivegardener]

ha

[@JenniferStJohn-ym8tc]

As a new gardener (I use the term loosely...I have sweet 100s, patio tomatoes, marketmore cucumbers, and basil) I am trying to teach myself everything I can be successful. Thank you so much for your information. I had no idea that overwatering could be such a problem. Thanks for the help!

[@executivegardener]

Jennifer St. John - Too much water can be a huge problem, just as much as not enought. Consistent watering, at right amounts, is best.

[@qubitstoyinc.4747]

Thanks for the heads up. We are in Florida where it can rain, and rain. Our construction toy works great as a tomato cage to support it against damage from a wind storm. Now we will pay closer attention to watering.

[@kuriouskat1490]

Hi Jeff, I live outside of Houston, and my tomatoes are doing just wonderfully with all the rain, Only 1 tomato split (so far). I have a raised garden and it has real good drainage. But my cucumber plants are another story. I had to pull them out, Once we got all that rain, they browned up and died.

[@executivegardener]

Kurious Kat - You must have a tomato plant that is tolerant to heat and a lot of water, so it worked out very well for you. Cucumber plants are a whole different story. My cucs did the same thing and all the leaves browned and got mildew quickly. Houston is a rough environment to grow in during the summer months, especially wet summer months!

[@nantambusatchldananda4513]

Thanks. I have Leaf roll, due to overwatering in potted plants. First year growing and they are doing great with the exception of leaf roll. Your videos really help.

[@executivegardener]

Glad to help. That is a big mistake I made early on.

[@curtissthomas8975]

+Jeff Bernhard (The Executive Gardener) cf

[@ishaanbasu1630]

Your instruction for tomato is right and also you must feed the tomatoes with rainwater

[@MrKelso159]

I know what you mean about the rain. I live in north Texas and the rain has really beat up my tomatoes this year. I have all the problems you are having. Great video and thanks for making it. Thanks !

[@executivegardener]

+MrKelso159 - It has been an unreal year of non stop rain. The plants I have in the ground are struggling.

[@tortaboy]

Jeff, if you aggressively prune your tomato plants (Starting with getting rid of any foliage below the fruit) and then removing excess suckers, you will LOVE the results. As gardeners, we trim trees, but let our tomato plants go wild. All that does is allow the plant to continue exerting energy producing excess foliage. With proper pruning, it's very simple to see how much fruit you have, and you'll have larger fruit. Plus, you'll never have a situation where you have tomato's rotting underneath foliage so that when you reach in, you stick your thumb in the middle of a rotted tomato that you didn't know was rotted because it is hidden under all the greenery.

[@executivegardener]

well said

[@JohnSmith-fq7hj]

Meh I like having 7 or 8 ft tomato trees lol

[@Combat_Pyro]

We're getting crap tons of rain this year again in Mississippi. We got tons of rain two years ago and then it was super dry all summer. It seems to be happening again this year. Leaves are all rolled upward on the plants (Nyagous). We started our plants from seed direct in the garden in April. None of them have set any fruit yet, but most have tried to blossom. They're still too small, so we've been pinching suckers and flowers off until they get bigger. We've found that mulching the soil with hay under wood chips has helped in keeping mud from splashing up onto the plants. We've also noticed that the mulch absorbs excess water and also diverts some excess water out of the garden when it rains this much. Maybe June will dry out a bit? Good video, thanks!!

[@executivegardener]

All great points. I need to mulch tomatoes next year to avoid the splash.

[@hiroinathens]

Thank you. The information is very helpful to me because I am a novice in vegetable gardening. Your presentation is also very organized and easy to follow. Thank you.

[@executivegardener]

hiroinathens - Thanks for watching and glad I could be helpful. -Jeff

[@Keepskatin]

Jeff Bernard,the tomato man. Thanks for all the tomato knowledge,i was pissed with this rain splitting my organic food. My tomato plants in the ground have no problems,no blossom end rot,no splitting. Maybe I should stop container gardening tomatoes. This sandy soils drain well and the coral rock in the ground provides calcium.

[@executivegardener]

I always prefer plants in the ground for the reasons you state.

[@heatherw.671]

We have minor areas of blight at the bottom of plants, but the tomatoes look great and the entire tops (4 feet or more worth) are healthy. I cut the blight sections off and tied the lower branches up off the ground.

[@Marxism4eva]

Hey Jeff, Sam from Scotland here, first off great video! Informative and easy to follow. I have three tomato plants in containers on my balcony (solid 8-10 hours of sun a day) they're doing fantastic, we kept pruning to a minimum so there's a rediculous amount of healthy looking tomatoes on each plant. However my wife is afraid that the rain will destroy the tomatoes, she was told that it's dangerous for the actuall fruit to get wet. Whereas I only see a problem with to much water in the soil (I've been covering the containers with plastic bags during heavy rainfall) Could you clarify for us? Many thanks from your most recent subscribers.

[@executivegardener]

No major issue with fruit getting wet, but the leaves will get mildew with too much rain/water. The major issue with too much water is flooding the roots and not getting Oxygen to them .

[@edwardbeaven7222]

This is the first year ever at trying tomatoes - you made some very interesting points. Hope my first year will be fairly successful. Enjoyed your video.

[@herlindeclark5488]

Thank you very much. This was very informative for me.

[@MWoods-rs4wp]

Yay! Another Houstonian! Well, I’m NNW of Houston. Waller/TOMBALL area. My plants are doing so well! But my tomatoes 😩 all the rain.

[@simpinainteasyRHEC]

Odd question.... I use to live in pinehurst/tomball area back in earlier 2000's.... is baytown seafood still around in Tomball? After moving to Dallas area, i lost contact with the owners etc. But had heard they were really kinda going down quickly. 😏 Nevertheless, such a beautiful area.

[@robdowling8364]

Hi Jeff, I live in Otaki New Zealand , Last summer here I grew Beef Steak tomatoes in the ground as well as containers, problem was I may have watered to much and it rained to often., After viewing your vid I had all of those problems , this season I can now take action to avoid those problems. thank you so much

[@executivegardener]

Your welcome Robin!

[@theworkingmansgarden7638]

THANK YOU! THIS VIDEO HAS BEEN EXCEEDINGLY HELPFUL!

[@GARDENSTATEGARDENER]

ENJOY watching your videos

[@executivegardener]

+JOE KOSLOWSKI - Thanks Joe. Thanks for subbing.

[@pattbrown4170]

Just watched your very informative video. Been gardening here in Illinois for years. We've had way too much rain here.My 30 plants are in the ground & have taken forever to ripen.Now they are,some have cracked, as you showed, but not all. What I have are tasteless tomatoes. So disappointing,just like store bought.You didn't mention anything about the effect on the taste of the tomato.Perhaps Houston,being so hot there, yours have dried out more quickly ?

[@executivegardener]

patt brown - I should have, but you are correct. With too much water the excellent, rich taste of tomato is diluted. Ours taste just a poor as yours when too wet.

[@markblairharley2890]

Great vlog Can the leaves also curl up with too little water ?I Thought it the leaf curl was the tomato showing stress through too little water

[@poppyb.4255]

Florida panhandle here. for the 3rd year in a row my large tomato varieties have been wiped out by fungal issues caused by too many afternoon t-storms. It's rare that we get a good dry summer here. The only variety I grow that produces a consistent harvest is heirloom cherries. Next year I am considering going to a hoop house with open sides, and a horizontal trellising system. This video confirms something I have been curious about, that with tomato plants its not so much the humidity as it is having persistently wet foliage that causes many of the fungal issues we have here in the southeast,

[@executivegardener]

Poppy B. - Glad I could help. I am too thinking about some type of greenhouse. Like FL, it is very wet here in Houston and when it rains it really pours and takes days to dry up. The problem is that if this happens every day, it never allows the soil and roots to dry some, creating all types of issues like disease, mlidew and splitting tomatoes.

[@IAMGiftbearer]

Nice enclosure! I bet you could put a tarp on top and you could still save alot of your harvest. I'm not that lucky. My tomatoes are in pots on my deck and it's not enclosed. Mine are showing all those problems. Adding more calcium regularly but it rains so much it's almost impossible to add it often enough. I'm going to look into the flower house. Good suggestion. I'm in Georgia and it's been raining for months almost every day.

[@livingamadatlife]

Hi great video did you see that snail on your plant in that green house.? What about wicken pots for tomatoes will there be too much water with that system any feedback much appreciated.

[@GardeningWithPuppies]

We are experiencing lots of rain here in, North Georgia. I am hoping that my tomatoes can withstand it. Thanks for sharing your tips with us, Jeff.

[@rexspencer5107]

Gardening With Puppies I'm getting alot of rain too..."Indiana" About half my plants are dead.

[@Keepskatin]

Global warming,and it will only get worse,plus expect many hurricanes this year too.

[@cakelady475]

Thank you for this straight to the point vid. I am a new gardener. my tomato plants looked fine and in self watering containers. Then in Va we had a week of straight rain. the next day when sun came out it's branches and leave looked a bit limp. Edges slightly turning up. I've fertilized them. Should I give it some time or just discard these and set out my next round of mater plants? Bless you and looking forward to your videos!

[@executivegardener]

+cakelady Dee jones - Let the soil dry out a little and then re-apply the fertilizer to the soil.

[@RockMonger]

Thanks for the video. I haven't had problems yet but I was likely over watering. so I will cut back some now that I'm getting fruit on my plants.

[@randylynnr]

What are the bags you have around a bunch of tomatoes and why are you using them? Where can I get them? Also will it work on cherry tomatoes clusters- Thank you so much for this amazing learning video- it is helping me so much on my over rained plants..

[@executivegardener]

I do not remember where I got them. Check out grocery store suppliers online. They are the net bags that go over bananna's and fruit at the grocery store.

[@bertrandplouffe7861]

What is the purpose of these bags? Thanks for the video, very instructive.

[@cakelady475]

Thanks for the timely reply. I notice it is trying to recover and by using clear painters drop cloth and made a retractable awning to cover my plants, which are in containers. Will follow the advice and once again...thanks a lot!

[@jerialice]

I’m in centex…..my tomatoes started out great, but it hit 100 degrees about 3 weeks ago with a stout east wind. I’ve had to water twice a day just to keep them from baking. I noticed today the bottom row of tomatoe leaves are turning yellow. Not sure what’s next. 2 of the plants are indeterminate and have fruit still green. Any ideas? Strawberry leaves are yellowing also. All herbs and peppers still looking good.

[@vanalstyne9834]

Excellent, straight forward video. Can you quantify "consistent watering"? I hear it all the time and nobody can tell me how much water per week. If it rains one inch in a week, and the plant needs two inches I know to water one more inch. Is there even an answer or is it more based on the physical characteristics of the tomato during its growing stages? Any help would be great. Thank you.

[@executivegardener]

+Van Alstyne - it is really based on how hot it is in your area. In general, your soil should be moist 2/3 of the day. So, in Houston, in the summer, that would be a gallon plus each day and in Minnesota it might be 1/2 gallon.

[@vanalstyne9834]

+Jeff Bernhard (The Executive Gardener) Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Finally someone put a number (2/3 of the day) to my question. Hope you don't mind more questions in the future.

[@executivegardener]

+Van Alstyne NP :)

[@brendacollins2065]

Thanks so much for the tips. We too are drowning this summer in Pittsburgh and your video was the best I've seen on too much rain! At first the rain was great for my garden but now after a month and with colder temps it is wreaking havoc on my raised bed garden. Do you add extra nutrients besides calcium to make up for the water leeching the soil? I worry that mine are going down the drain faster than I can add them!

[@executivegardener]

Brenda Collins - With all this rain I add a slow release 10-10-10 fertilizer that when it rains continually puts more N P K in the soil. In addition, I add more magnesium sulfate. I find the slow release fertilizer works very well.

[@brendacollins2065]

Thanks! In the meantime I applied some compost tea per your other video. I had some on hand and I do think it helped. I also used an Epsom Salt follicle spray on my squash and that really seemed to help them with their yellow blotches! I do think I need to add the slow release fertilizer too as our forecast is for more rain everyday this week-UGH!

[@AvalonCheryl]

Glad to hear advice from where I am in Houston! Thanks!

[@ralphkinsley8192]

To eliminate root rot and aid drainage in bag grow system simply elevate the bag with a couple strips thick plywood.

[@islandgirl3330]

Thanks for your video. Now I know why my tomatoes are cracking.

[@executivegardener]

+islandgirl3330 - Your welcome. Too much water is a huge issues for lots of gardeners. You are not alone.

[@mbecker0013]

Hi my friend, I just wanted to say that you can install poly carbonate sheets on the roof of the structure for the next season. (roof of structure 3:37)... a step further would be to use the same structure to redirect and store rain water into barrels that you can use to irrigate your garden. For the cloth bags, covering the structure would help but I would also make holes on the bag to assist water flow. thanks for the video!

[@executivegardener]

mbecker0013 - Thanks for the advice. Excellent advice.

[@scottabraham6872]

Jeff , what causes new growth stems near the top of the plant to droop and get very soft? I only water once a day. live in Lake Charles close to you. i lost all my tomato plants last year from over watering so i water moderately every day. Having this droop, softness on brand new limb sprouts near the top. HELP!

[@learnjcbskidsterchickensga7594]

Here is an interesting Amazon comment on the Flower house a large greenhouse like one: I purchased a small (about 4') folding hard plastic table and a simple small heater with three fan speeds. I hung a plant light from the center of the plant house and put the heater on the table. I purchased all three items from Lowe's. I already had the heavy duty extension cord to plug in the light and heater. The table serves a two fold purpose -- keeping the heater off the ground and allowing smaller pots to be on top of table. This is my second season with this plant house. I LOVE it! see less By Suzeegirl on November 25, 2013

[@lucylongenbach5685]

Thank you very much for the great information. Now I know what to do with my container tomatoes.

[@sweetvuvuzela4634]

Thanks uncle I was watching your video I and my neighbour came in we watched the video together then we shared it with the whole village now we are all following your tips thanks again from the womba womba villagers

[@swervyworld]

Thank you Houston from Norfolk England.

[@emabermudez-dennis1815]

I wish I would have known this about leaf roll! Thank you so much!

[@nikkit4214]

In Ontario we have had little rain and high heat. My plant has curled leaves that look dry and drooping branches. When I water it the branches come back to life, but if leaves are curled from to much watering what do I do. I have lots of big tomatoes, haven't turned colour yet, but now those long awaited big tomatoes are getting wrinkled skin. Should I cut them off or let them continue on plant?

[@executivegardener]

Just water consistently. Do not take tomatoes off vine until they start turning partially red.

[@seriouslyreally5413]

On particularly rainy years I formed a large peaked plastic tent over my tomatoes with plenty of ventilation at the base to let air through. The sun gets in but the drip line doesn't get soggy. I used dark plastic mulch sparingly. it heated the soil too much between rainstorms on sunny days so I only use it on the ground only in spring to early summer to warm the soil and stabilize the soil temp and then replace it with straw.

[@executivegardener]

Good idea. Nice!

[@maryboyd4918]

Dallas here Thanks for the video

[@ittybittywtf9333]

Very informative video thank you, one question, would that flowerhouse help protect my tomatoes from the sun, I live in Las Vegas and the sun can be so intense and it burns the leaves a bit so I ended up over watering my tomatoe plants, the leaves are becoming pale greenish yellow and are also turned up a bit but not terribly, so I'm cutting back on the water but the tomatoe house sounds good if it shades from the sun a bit.

[@executivegardener]

Flower house would only work for you in the winter. It would get too hot in the house. Once the weather gets over 95 degrees and stays over 75 degrees at night, it is time to stop growing tomatoes for the most part. The flowers won't turn to fruit, unfortunately.

[@karipayton8837]

Im so glad i found you! I just watched your video here and I am sure my beautiful tomatoe plant has blot!! What can i do to stop it from killing my whole plant since i think it just started? I live in an apartment in the city and this is my first yr growing in pots! Yes i did over water! I have already gotten 4 ripe ones off of it and have 2 more getting ripe and 3 smaller ones on the top forming! So please let me know if i can do anything to stop it! Thanks so much

[@executivegardener]

This is just about watering, so simply water less and more consistently. Plants recover nicely.

[@Juergensry420]

I don't know where you get your water but mine is always consistently wet .

[@rosedunne4776]

GeneGene km NJ

[@rosedunne4776]

NJ NB

[@frankflapdapus]

I usually get mine from Aldi's they sell a guitar case full of water for lemons which are grew in a Epson ESX41 printer, I hope this helps GeneGene.

[@anitahinkemeyer4901]

GeneGene t

[@markothwriter]

my water is only 94.4% wet

[@chriswhite6882]

greeting from florida lots of rain here too! stay dry during this tropical storm!

[@ryangray9971]

i live in California and were i live then has been a lot of rain. the plants are new and planted in containers . should i bring them in side .

[@FreeSpirits]

All this rain in San Antonio has just caused blight on my tomato plant :( Thanks for this as I can now take control and prevent this problem. :)

[@executivegardener]

+FreeSpirit - Put you tomatoes in a small flower house tent or greenhouse like I did. We have the same rain issue in Houston.

[@FreeSpirits]

I am looking to get one of those too. Right now I am putting them under my outdoor table until I get something more suitable. I hope you were not affected by the flooding over there.

[@Sg4809]

Thank you mine are doing this and I didn't know why!

[@abelnodarse1841]

Great video thanks Jett .

[@G53X0Y0Z0]

Containers can be protected from too much rain water by covering the top of the container (at the plant base). Use a piece of plastic sheet large enough to wrap over the rim of your container and be secured with string or a bungee cord. Slit the plastic to the middle so it can fit around the stem and devise a way to prop it up around the stem so it slopes to the outside. That will make an easy and cheap roof to shed most of the unwanted rain. Another option, especially if the plants have a cage would be to use large clear plastic bags over the whole plant and container. If the weather is too hot (definitely don't want to cook your plants) make a hole in the top for ventilation, kind of like a tepee. It might let in some water but could still shed the most of it. If you have plants in the ground sheeting might be the best bet especially if there is some slope to make the water run away. Otherwise placing containers around your plant(s) that with catch and hold a significant amount of water that you can empty elsewhere will help keep the ground drier. This is a condition where raised beds with good draining soil can be advantageous.

[@metro3692]

Wrap a 55 gal trashcan liner around it. That's what I do.

[@Jennifr1966]

I've been concerned about how much I should water the plants, since I'm in an area that does NOT rain much. With your situation, though, what if you put some sort of homemade "tent" over the plants, that can be removed if necessary, but put back when expecting rain?

[@scrider8464]

I have maters in containers too. Use a water wand to check the moisture every time before watering and dang if they are not always on a '1' instead of some down from a '4' which is where the water wand info says they like to be. Since your plants are in containers which I am thinking they drain from holes in the container bottom, you still have too much water?

[@executivegardener]

No, holes will solve for that.

[@andreaclouden]

Thank you so much we've gotten a lot of rain here in Virginia and me being an amateur left my plant outside thinking it was good for it and didn't know my poor tomato plant had gotten too much water my leaves curl inward instead of outward is that ok?

[@executivegardener]

no, still too much water. Allow it to dry out good.

[@andreaclouden]

+Jeff Bernhard (The Executive Gardener) thank you will do

[@blondizsmilz]

Thanks so much Jeff. Not had that problem here in drought country in Kansas. But good to know because we all feel that we are do for a great storm sometime soon! :)

[@heidimarchant5438]

So glad you touched down on this subject. I have been looking for a video like this for a while, very helpful thank you.

[@executivegardener]

you bet

[@daisyuppal3410]

Thank you so much very much helpful

[@adamszajman3870]

all that work into your enclosed growing area but no roll over tarp for the top? easy solution i would think to control heavy rain periods.... great video so much information on tomatoes in a 15 min video thank you

[@executivegardener]

Adam Szajman - There is not way in heck my wife would allow that. It would ruin the look at feel of the back yard, although I like the idea for a farm.

[@gettalife5501]

Nice looking garden what kind of tomato variety are you growing? Some type of beef steak or something?

[@Linda-9037]

You have a beautiful enclosure...When you know it's going to rain why couldn't you lay tarps over the top to block the rain from over watering your tomatoes...just an idea.

[@MWoods-rs4wp]

Velvet Hammer you aren’t in Houston?

[@lindagray7906]

Thanks for sharing bad & good. Really helps as I have 1 pot to be helped. Again thanks for sharing.

[@1234circle]

First time watching your video trying to learn more about tomatoes, nice video, thank you. My question are you guys OK? this Hurricane hit your area I hope your house and garden is ok.

[@stanmashek3085]

good video thank you

[@jonbelknap777]

thanks much for the video from a fellow Houston gardener. great info

[@executivegardener]

Go Houston!! Happy Gardening!

[@popatop75]

your instructions remind me of being in the army for 28 years.. tell what your going to teach, then tell it, then tell what you said.... great job

[@executivegardener]

Dave Fyffe - Thanks Dave

[@nototheNewWorldOrder]

Great tutorial and it's helping me understand what's occurring with my tomato plants. Thank you.

[@Lorlzee]

I have a few tomato plants in a bucket. they were growing very well with lots of green leaves. I notice dat the leaves are drying. This is my first time planting. l love tomatoes and want to grow them.

[@executivegardener]

Make sure you use lots of compost, mulch the top of soil and water a few times a day if you are in a hot climate. The mulch helps retain the water in the soil. You do not want them drying out. If the leaves are get sun scold, then put a shade cloth over the plant to block a little of the sun's direct light. They should get 7-8 hours of sun a day.

[@6980869]

U cant control the weather, but u sure as heck can provide a shelter that blocks all that “consistently wet water”! Jeff (&/or any others) - u coulda just used some clear plastic sheeting, or better yet, some clear corrugated roofing on top of your already-existing structure. Put at an angle, u can then store the rainwater by directing that angle to one side that has a gutter, routed to a catchment of your choice. Save water, plants, & keep those sun rays hitting them. Boom! Done. Aloha..

[@HighDesertGarden]

The same thing happened to me last year. We don't get a lot of rain here, so when it does fall, it cracks my tomatoes. It doesn't have to be too much rain, just inconsistent rain or inconsistent watering.

[@joeoleary5346]

Jeff, just discovered your videos. Great. I'm subscribed! But what is the purpose of those green mesh bags on your tomato plants? Joe in Massachusetts

[@executivegardener]

Protect from the rats that will go at them

[@elenacerasela]

I learned from your videos and I am growing some amazing tomatoes finally this year. Thank you, Sir.

[@executivegardener]

Welcome

[@Hominid999]

Great information... thanks for sharing.

[@LiliansGardens]

Thanks for the pointers.

[@bobgrayanythingoutdoors4819]

Cant leaf roll also mean there not getting enough water? And they can get ber from being too dry too?

[@zulumagoo1]

I'm growing my first ever. I think I am over watering. Thank you for the visual explanations.

[@emcr1156]

Kip's Journey same

[@thanksandpraise341]

That was exactly the info I needed, THANK YOU SOoooo [singing]. I sow seeds of LUCK and HAPPYNESS for YOU (and because of you, they won't die ;-)) !!

[@executivegardener]

+THANKSandPRAISE - Thanks and happy gardening to you

[@thanksandpraise341]

+Jeff Bernhard (The Executive Gardener) I'm learning a lot from you and I see a lot of my plants need some emergency aid (bigger pot, fertilizer mix, bug defence), so am going to check it out on your channel, what I can do to help them survive. Sometinmes I wait to long to change pot and think throwing some worms on the soil will help the roots getting some 'air', but now even they won't do the job for me and go their way out of the pot!! ;-)) Think I'am afraid to much for doing to much damage to the plants changing baskets.. I mess up with breaking them accidentally and YES OVERWATERING 😁. But I do have so much fun and feel some kind of adrenaline rush when I discovered the other day, I have 4 tomato's to harvest!! Woeii!! Very sweet that you actually take the time and effort to answer on your comments btw, it's another 👍+++++ !!!

[@ms.skeeter275]

Very good

[@dickcd]

Very informative, thank you.

[@executivegardener]

Thanks

[@paulpugh2480]

The end of your episode was the best ,just the 1-2-3-4-5'S not too many words and long intro with music.

[@katherinerand1892]

Thanks for this. I have splitting tomatoes and black spots under the tomato’s. We have had so much rain and all this week we expect rain. First time growing in reused beds in open yard by fence. Usually have overhang of ruff to stop too much rein but wanted to try this. As for the calcium how do I add it and with what? Thank you!

[@pennypenny2588]

We are getting an insane amount of rain here lately and I suppose I may have leaf roll in the extreme.... I am trying to figure out if they will be able to recover....after a solid week of constant rain, it has finally stopped. The plants look petrified....absolutely. I put some baking soda in the soil this morning in hopes that it would help. Do you have any suggestions at all? Anybody????

[@stevehaas3575]

Jeff,Hope you can answer a couple of questions? OVER WATERING & Key ingredient Liqua Feed1) I have my tomatoes currently growing in 5 gallon plastic buckets. Live and growing them in the S.E. U.S. My question? In an ideal world, with RAIN or NO RAIN...would be your recommended watering for each bucket daily/weekly? Our temp. and humidity is like yours. How much water, should I water my plants per week to have the best results? 1 gallon of water per bucket per week? I have not been able to find the correct amount in an ideal watering condition for optimal growth.2) LIQUA- FEED per 5 Gallon Bucket? Your Miracle grow secret says 2 Tablespoons for 2 Gallons of water? Correct? With the 2 gallons of LIQUA-FEED...HOW MANY buckets of tomatoes would this cover. Or how much Liquia-feed should I apply every other week, to say cover 10 plants?BTW...your videos are excellent!

[@executivegardener]

Steve, to start with use a rich soil mix with lots of natural compost for a good balance of N-P-k and mcironutrients. Do not start with miracle grow until 6--7 weeks of growing. When you do I would use 1 tablespoon per gallon every two weeks. I cannot tell you how much to water, as I do not know your exact environment. I would recommend to give it a good drench in the morning and check it later in afternoon to see if it dried up. Ideally you want soil moist throughout the day for best production and growth.

[@stevehaas3575]

Jeff, actually planted my tomatoes with a 50% Miracle Grow Garden Soil for Vegetables & Herbs & 50% Black Kow. Thought that would be a perfect planting mixture for 5 gallon plastic containers for a maximum natural compost for a good balance of N-P-K and micro-nutrients. As for the liquid Miracle Grow unit, I did not start using until the 3rd month of growing. as for my exact environment? We are exposed to extreme heat and humidity like the south Texas area. I am indeed experiencing some of the 5 problems of overwatering. Thus the reason for my questions. Just didn't know if you had an idea water;volume for a 5 gallon tomato plant weekly! again, enjoy your videos and knowledge!

[@ABalderas2011]

Thank you for sharing this! I have been getting the brown spot on the tomatoes and cracking. I lost and entire crop last year cuz of the Memorial Day flood. I did raised garden beds this year but will probably due an enclosure like yours since I have been getting pesky birds poking my tomatoes.

[@Keepskatin]

Worms don't poke tomatoes,only caterpillars and birds. Sandy soil is perfect for heavy rain areas,it drains better. Dam this global warming rain floods in Florida,splitting my tomatoes. I may have to grow them indoors.

[@prmskeepr]

"Global warming" Ha ha ha ha

[@Keepskatin]

Prmskeepr Simpletons,don't like and don't understand Science.

[@prmskeepr]

Sheep. Nothing but sheep.

[@annajeftha]

how long does it take for green tamatoes to turn red?

[@GONZOFAM7]

I'm a new tomato grower. I saw leaf roll and thought lack of water so hit them with water. Went the wrong way. Also, a few of my leafs have holes with brown rings on the bottom leafs. I snapped those bottom guys off. I think I'm getting fungus too, so hit them with a fungicide.

[@executivegardener]

I would remove all leaves that are brown or looked diseased and see how the plant does. Keep the consistent watering. Sometimes if plants do not recover, I pull them and start again.

[@Goldi3loxrox]

i had a couple of tomatoes that were dark underneath so i crushed and pounded an old dried out egg shell into a fine almost powder and added this to my next watering can. so far no more black bottoms.

[@firstbaptistchurchaurantia7952]

Can you explain to me why you have the fruit on some of your plants wrapped in a netting material?

[@executivegardener]

+First Baptist Church Aurantia - protect from rats.

[@KK-px4hh]

can leaf roll occurs bcz of lack of water too? if yes then whats the difference and how to recognize both of them?

[@executivegardener]

Not that I am aware of.