Hydroponics Online Home Home Store Blog Forums FAQs Lesson Plans Pictures

Go Back   Hydroponics Forums Discussions > Hydroponics Discussion Forums > Hydroponics

Tomato Lower Leaves Yellowing


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-03-2014, 01:29 PM
Izzie1701 Izzie1701 is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 2
Default Tomato Lower Leaves Yellowing

I am having some troubles with my hydroponic tomatoes. This is my first time growing. My bottom leaves are turning yellow and don't look healthy. I have planted all my tomatoes from seeds. The plants I planted in the ground are growing twice as fast as the plants hydroponically and look a lot healthier. From everything I have read it appeared I had a lack of nutrients. I purchased a TDS meter yesterday and tested the water. It was at 2200ppm. I thought this may have been high and was due for a nutrient change so swamped the nutrient out and adjusted to 1300ppm as it indicated it should be at on the nutrient bottle. I am using a 2 part nutrient with a third boost nutrient. From further readings it looks like tomatoes should be fine with a nutrient level of 2200ppm. I am running a dwc system. I have my tomatoes in rockwool surrounded by clay pellets. I have about 1" of the bottom of the rockwool sitting in the water as the roots are yet to protrude through the rockwool and dangle into the water. I have a 6" air stone in a 5 gallon bucket supplied by an aquarium pump for aquariums up to 80 gallons. I would hope this is enough air. Any idea on what the issues could be. The leaves are just yellow no droop or curl up.

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-04-2014, 01:08 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Havasu AZ.
Posts: 1,855
Default

Hello Izzie1701,

First, do you have any pictures? A picture is worth a thousand words... 3-4 pictures are worth 3,000-4,000 words...

1. How big are the plants?
2. What is the water temp (day and night)?
3. What is the air temp (day and night)?
4. What nutrients are you using?
5. How are you mixing the nutrients?
6. Are you growing them inside with lights, or outside?
7. What are you using for your water source?
8. What is the pH?


P.S.
If the rockwool is saturated the roots could be suffocating, and/or the plants could be developing stem rot.
__________________
Website Owner
Home Hydroponic Systems
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-04-2014, 11:28 AM
Izzie1701 Izzie1701 is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 2
Default

1.) The plants are about 12" tall right now. They were 12" when I transplanted 3 weeks ago but I had buried the stem 2" into the clay pellet media. Moved some of the clay around and appears there are a lot of roots now growing from the stem in this area. All are white and healthy looking. No signs of root rot there. However in 3 weeks I am yet to have roots penetrate the rockwool.
2.) Water temp hovers around 65F. Seems pretty constant throughout the day.
3.) Air temp day is 25C and night is around 10C
4.) I am using Innovating Planting Products Ultimate Grow A & B and adding a boost of Technaflora B.C. Grow.
5.) Mixing the nutrients separately in the reservoir. Measure in part A stir the reservoir, measure in part B stir then add the boost and stir.
6.) Growing them outside in about 8 hours of sun a day on the deck. Sheltered from all wind. Habanaro is the same place and seems to be doing well other then growing slowly. Looks healthy though.
7.) Using tap water as my source. Tests out at 220ppm.
8.) pH is at 6.5

I had the rockwool in the water. It is about 6" tall and I had around the bottom half inch or so in the water to wick up the water as I had read to do this with a DWC. From further reading looks like this is a bad idea. I have dropped the water level to about half inch to an inch below the rockwool. I am hoping this helps out. I am hoping I didnt cause root rot. I cant see any signs of root rot from the new roots growing out of the stem. They are very white and healthy looking. I cant see into the rockwool but I would assume they are also healthy by the looks of the health of the top roots. There is also no discoloration of the stem and it is not mushy at all.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-06-2014, 06:13 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Havasu AZ.
Posts: 1,855
Default

OK, it would still be much better if I could see the setup and plants, rather than trying to guess. Pictures can show issues you wouldn't even think to ask. Here are my first thoughts on the reply's to the questions I asked:

1. Glad the roots look white and healthy, but in 3 weeks I would expect much more growth of the foliage.
2. Water temp is a slightly low at 65F, but nothing significant. But if it's much lower, low temps inhibit plant growth.
3. This is a little low (77 F day, and 50 F night) but isn't bad. Just could be a little warmer, but I expect temps will rise shortly.
4. I am not familiar with these nutrients. Do you have a link to them so I can see what they are?
5. I still don't know how much your using, and/or if your fallowing manufactures directions.
6. That's a fairly good amount of sunlight, But if both are growing slowly, temperature may be playing a role. However I still cant see the system or plants, as well as don't know anything about the nutrients and how your mixing them.
7. This could be a potential problem. What chemical and mineral elements does that 220ppm consist of? What amount of ppm's of each chemical and mineral is in the water? In other words there is 220 ppm's but of what?
8. pH is not bad, but I would lower it slightly to about 6.0. Does the pH fluctuate much?

__________________
Website Owner
Home Hydroponic Systems
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.