Question
I live in central Florida and looking at the causes of yellow leaf, I have them all especially the insects..I'm going to replant but should I wash my pots first and with what(bleach)..I water in the afternoon but have holes on the bottom of the pots for drainage..I use store bought soil , cow manure and potting soil...I haven't used no lime????...Oh I also have curly leaf..I see alot of dead beetles around but I don't know the type..
                                     Thank You

Answer
Dear Rich:

Sucking insects such as the Sweet Potato Whitefly may remove the nutrient-filled products of photosynthesis from a tomato plant. That's why the leaves that they attack end up yellow in color and deformed in appearance. Treat the plants with insecticidal soap or with a Pyrethroid insecticide Esfenvalerate (trade names: Evercide Total Release Bomb, Conquer Liquid Insecticide) Esfenvalerate is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide which is used on a wide range of pests such as moths, flies, beetles, and other insects.

Sterilization of your planting containers with a 50% solution of household bleach and water is strongly encouraged and is an excellent practice.

As it relates to the use of lime; suggest you test your soil to determine if addition of lime or sulfer is necessary.  Tomatoes like their soil pH around 6.0 to 6.8. Briefly, pH is a measure of soil acidity or alkalinity. On the pH scale, 7.0 is neutral; so the range which tomatoes prefer is slightly on the acid side. (By the way, that's the pH range at which most vegetables grow best.)

You should check the pH level in your garden every three to five years. You can test it with an inexpensive kit from a garden center, or your local cooperative extension service may offer an inexpensive testing service.

Best regards,

Mack Jean
AllExperts
Master Gardener
Tennessee