Question
I am currently planting vegetables using fertigation concept, i.e. in polybags containing no soil but instead coconut coirs, fed with liquid fertilizers via a electric pump, dripper and timer, very common in Holland. Everything went well until I tried tomato. It has now grown almost 3 feet tall after two months and are now fruiting. However, the leaves now appear to wither but actually they are fresh by touch. They are folded, out of shape and wrinkled but there are no fungus. What could be the cause? My friends say that it could be due to excess Nitrogen. How do I determine this and how do I alter the liquid fertilizer.

Answer

tomatoes in tunnel  

cherry tomatoc   Hi Yahaya,

I have never grown using the fertigation concept.  In my opinion if the tomato plant is strong and fruiting the leaves are shriveling up because all the plant's energy is going to produce the fruit.  I routinely break off all the lower leaves on my tomato plants as they grow larger that way the plant is not wasting any energy on keeping the leaves green. Without the larger leaves there is more air circulation around the plant which helps to prevent fungus and disease.  I have attached a couple pictures of my plants.

Happy gardening
Catherine Abbott
www.your-vegetable-gardening-helper.com