Tomato and Cucumber Help

[sixspeed]

Hey everyone, i am new to the site. I am new to growing vegetables, and recently started a 5 gallon bucket garden on my patio. To give you more of a background. I got these white 5 gallon buckets from home depot. Took my drill and put about 15 1/4" holes in the bottom. I then added a 2-3" layer of crushed marble, and then used a 50/50 mix of an dr.earths organic potting soil and dr.earths vegetable garden soil. I planted the tomatoes, zucchini, and the boston pickling cucumber about 3-4 weeks ago, and they have been growing pretty well. The small bush cucumber i planted last week. It has the same setup besides a different soil mix, and it is dr. earths vegetable garden soil and miracle gro potting mix. The one picture of the tomato leaf that is in really bad shape is near the bottom of the plant, but some of the top leafs are starting to show those brown spots.

What do you think is going on?

 

[CanadianLori]

Hey sixspeed, how about filling in some blanks on your profile.

Where are you, in general? Zone?

Then maybe someone can help.

6speed, hmmmm, vette, cts v?

And welcome from a 440-6. .

 

[CanadianLori]

Forgot to say, looks like water and not enough heat. Same here....

 

[sixspeed]

Hi Lori, I live outside of Boston. Couldnt tell you what zone that is. We did just have a little cold spell. Should i bring the plants in at night? You dont think it is an infection of some type?

I will try watering more, and see if they bounce back.

 

[CanadianLori]

Nòoooooo, no more water. Get a soil moisture gauge, 5 bucks at home depot.

 

[sixspeed]

Oh ok, i will hold of on watering for a bit. Is there a specific mositure gauge you would recommend?

 

[CanadianLori]

Get the spike with the needle , cheap. Stick it in, read, pull out and wipe. I use my jean leg..

 

[Beth_B]

Welcome @sixspeed!
I can't figure out how to copy and paste from my mobile device but if you Google USDA growing zones that should get you to the USDA site where you can find out by your zip code. Its a very handy thing to know. I'm guessing zone 6 a or b.

Anyway what @CanadianLori said. One of the most common - perhaps THE most common - mistake people make in plant care generally is over-watering. That's what it looks like to me too. I also live in an area prone to too much rain and cloudy days which can be challenging for the hot weather veggies!

It is best to let them dry completely between watering. It's OK if they wilt, they're just telling you its time for a drink and they perk right up. Withholding water on plants such as tomatoes can actually lead to better fruit production.

 

[sixspeed]

Oh man i feel like a noob. Alright no more water for a while.

 

[headfullofbees]

Welcome @sixspeed!
I can't figure out how to copy and paste from my mobile device but if you Google USDA growing zones that should get you to the USDA site where you can find out by your zip code. Its a very handy thing to know. I'm guessing zone 6 a or b.

Anyway what @CanadianLori said. One of the most common - perhaps THE most common - mistake people make in plant care generally is over-watering. That's what it looks like to me too. I also live in an area prone to too much rain and cloudy days which can be challenging for the hot weather veggies!

It is best to let them dry completely between watering. It's OK if they wilt, they're just telling you its time for a drink and they perk right up. Withholding water on plants such as tomatoes can actually lead to better fruit production.

It can also lead to splitting when you do water them.

 

[Beth_B]

Oh man i feel like a noob. Alright no more water for a while.

We've all been there! I used to say I had a brown thumb because I kept killing houseplants when I was a young'un living in apartments for years; turns out I was just killing them with water!

And yeah the last two summers here have been unusually rainy and most of my larger tomatoes varieties split and the peppers didn't do well either. Sometimes Mother Nature doesn't cooperate either.

 

[sixspeed]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Will these plants bounce back from an over watering? Or will i most likely run into root rot? Is my best course of action to wait it out a week? Or should i consider replanting with fresh plants?