Tomatoe plants in greenhouse are dying. Could it be temp. fluctions,smoke from woodstove.Red peppers,and Aloa doing good, every thing else is dying.

-- Tony Hobert (hobert7@ekyol.com), December 31, 2000

Answers

How old are the plants?? Do they just drop over dead or is it slow?? There are all sorts of things that could be going on, from fungus, dampening off, etc. etc. etc.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.

Probally its a root fungus. Tomatoes are bad about it in greenhouse conditions. Ways to avoid this is use of hydoponics and complete air exchange. Having animal or worm bins in greenhouse is suppose to help also as it sets up a miniature ecosystem in the greenhouse. With this, air exchange is also indicated.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.

Do you use any gas heat or other gas-powered implements (natural gas, that is). I read recently that tomatoes cannot withstand any natural gas whatsoever and that greenhouses use them as an "early warning" device to warn of leaking heaters.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), January 01, 2001.

Tony,

Give your plants a dose of water with fish emulsion or seaweed extract, the bacteria will help if the problem is root related. Put a pot of water on your wood stove to up humidity. If in doubt, repot. Keep your plants AWAY from the wood stove. The green parts need to be warmer than the bottom parts, unless your fighting to keep the entire plant above 50 degrees, in which case they are too cold. If it is cool, fill a large box half full of (EWW) new manure, put a layer (about 2") of dirt over it, then set the plants somewhat into it. Fresh hot manure will keep the root warm. (Fresh is like a few weeks old) This will help for a while, but you'll have to change manure in a month.

Check the color and condition of the plant stalk, and leaves, including colored patches and small moving insects and report back. Maybe we could be more specific then. Pepper and tomatoes are both members of the nightshade family, so if one is growing, I would expect the other too be unless it is a tomatoe specific problem. What temp is your green house at??

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), January 01, 2001.

If you begin using aquaponic emulsion or hydroponic solutions, DO NOT reuse any "runoff" liquid as it could spread a root fungus much faster. After watering, discard any runoff solution in a compostable area away from any nightshade family plants.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 01, 2001.

The plants where late starters from the garden. The temp. goes from 80degs. when the heater is lit to 40degs. in the morning.Thats up high,down 2foot off the ground it stays between 40and60 degs all the time.The humdity stays high, because of the inside and outside temps.

-- Tony Hobert (hobert7@ekyol.com), January 01, 2001.