Question
I moved to a new home that doesn't get much sun until late in the day. My tomato and pepper plants are in large containers. The leaves on the tomato plant started getting spidery veins on it. The pepper plants followed. I'm gettin small fruit, but the plants are tall and gangly.It doesn't seem to be affecting the outcome, but what is it?

Answer
Margo, tomatoes and peppers require a minimum of 8 hours of sunlight per day for strong growth. The less light they receive, the smaller the fruit and harvest.

I would not worry about the spidery veins unless you are seeing a discoloration of the foliage. Stress can cause this, as can a lack of sun, but this will not affect production. Factors that are important include sunlight, watering levels, soil conditions, and nutrients.

Besides 8 hours of sunlight per day, the plants also need phosphorus for strong growth, 2" of water per week, and loamy soil comprised of organic matter. When these conditions are met, the plants will thrive.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike