Tomato plants and cucumbers issues

[Tlieske]

This is my second year gardening. My plants did very well last year. I did the same things this year as I did last. My plants were very happy and looked to be thriving and over night all of my tomatoes and cucumbers (very far apart in my yard) look horrible. Can anyone tell me exactly what is happening? The only thing I can think of that happened right before this was I sprayed with neem oil. I accidentally used our tap water from the house which is softened with salt (which is considered high in salt by a water test) instead of filtered water like I normally do.

 

[Tlieske]

I rotated my plants. I hardened/conditioned my plants for longer than a week before planting. I added compost and leaves to the soil. I used the neem oil because I noticed small bullet holes on tomato plants and bigger holes in leaves on my flowers. I always spray neem oil at sundown. I use drip irrigation at the base to water with our hard water. I don’t wet the plants and I water at sun down close to dark or at night after it’s dark. My plants were in ground for a few weeks before this happened. We had some heavy rain for days a week and a half after planting and another day of really harsh wind. The only thing that has changed this year is the use of peat moss in my garden because my soil was alkaline. Still wasn’t fully amended so I added some more at the bases. Could it have drifted and burnt my plants when it rained? The only other things I can think of is I used salty tap water for my neem mixture and we live by railroad tracks that haven’t been used in years. They are in use this year so they went by and sprayed chemicals on the tracks to get rid of the weeds about a week maybe a little longer before my plants did this. I also use a moisture tester for watering because our soil is on the clay side so I don’t want to over water.

 

[Tlieske]

Bigger picture for some reason the others resized

 

[Ruderunner]

I wouldn't use softened water because of the salt content.

How close to the tracks are your plants? It's quite possible that their weed spray may be harmful to the garden. But, I'd expect other plants to be showing distress too.

 

[DirtMechanic]

It takes 6 inches of water to clear the salt. Best get busy

 

[Tlieske]

I wouldn't use softened water because of the salt content.

How close to the tracks are your plants? It's quite possible that their weed spray may be harmful to the garden. But, I'd expect other plants to be showing distress too.

My peppers are now unhappy as well and tops of tomatoes are curled. I never use softened I usually only use filtered for spraying neem and hard well water for watering. It slipped my mind unfortunately. The plants in the garden hit hardest are the end that the tracks aren’t densely covered with weeds so I’m wondering if it is drift. Only reason we planted there was because it has been years and years they hadn’t been used so we didn’t think it would be an issue. The old home owner planted there as well and the neighbor said the garden always flourished. I’m kicking myself in the butt now.

 

[Tlieske]

I wouldn't use softened water because of the salt content.

How close to the tracks are your plants? It's quite possible that their weed spray may be harmful to the garden. But, I'd expect other plants to be showing distress too.

The bed is maybe 20 feet from the foot of the hill the tracks are on. We happened to be sitting outside when they came through and smelled and tasted it probably a hundred feet from the tracks to where we rushed inside.

 

[Tlieske]

It takes 6 inches of water to clear the salt. Best get busy

I’m confused about the six inches of water to clear the salt. Off of the top where I sprayed it? Or are you talking about if I watered with salt. (I water with hard well water not salt water.)

 

[DirtMechanic]

I’m confused about the six inches of water to clear the salt. Off of the top where I sprayed it? Or are you talking about if I watered with salt. (I water with hard well water not salt water.)

Its a flush or drench. I got the impression you feared sodium in softened water. So tell me if you used any bagged composted cow manure? That problem reminds me of a deficiency. Do you use magnesium sulfate or a micronutrient complex?

 

[headfullofbees]

I think the most likely problem is nitrogen deficiency, caused by the compost and/or leaves using it up as they decompose.
Feed regularly with a high nitrogen feed like dried blood.