Hi.
I'm a brand new poster. I've visited the site a few times trying to find information on growing tomatoes, and found the folks on the site to be very knowledgeable, so I hope someone can help me.

This is the second year I've grown tomato plants (Celebrity) in containers (with cages) on my deck. I live in southwestern PA. I bought the plants already started and potted them with Miracle-Gro potting soil in late May. I've since used Miracle-Gro on my plants about once a week or so. My plants are probably about three-feet tall and have produced lots of beautiful fruit this year. I got some really large tomatoes (bigger than last year -- probably due to the Miracle-Gro). I got my first ripe tomatoes last week.

Now for the horror story. I guess about maybe two weeks ago or so I noticed the bottom leaves starting to turn yellow. Then they turn brown..and it seems the whole stem dies. So far, the fruit on the plants is fine, but I've noticed that any new blossoms turn brown and fall off. The leaves on the top are starting to look droopy, even though I water every day. I'm afraid I might have fusarium or verticillium wilt...I guess I'm just looking for an expert opinion. Also, if this is the case...what will be the fate of the tomatoes that are already formed? Are my plants close to death??

My next question is how could this happen? My plants are not in the ground, so it couldn't have been anything in the ground. Does this disease just develop -- even in potting soil?

I'd appreciate any information or feedback..and any suggestions for next year, although I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it. I've babied these plants for months and am pretty upset. Last year I had blossom end rot, and I was so excited to have a great bunch of tomatoes this year!

Thanks in advance!

This is interesting to say the least. What you discribe sounds like Fusarium wilt, but Celebrity is resistance to both Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt. However, it is not resistance to Walnut wilt. If your purchased potting soil had any black walnut roots ground up into it then this would happen. The soiless mixture you are using did you use it last year? I'm not a big believer in Miracle-Gro. What else are you feeding your plants?

Temperatures over 100 degrees can cause your flowers to die and fall off. While we have not seen 100 degress where I live, in the corner of my entry way to the house in the afternoon the heat radiats/ collects there and it goes well over 110 degree many afternoons. Perhaps you have this same situation.

Next what I'm going to say will bring down upon my head every Celebrity grower on this site. I don't care for Celebrity. I tried them three times. They never product well for me and they seem to die early.

Suggestions? Well I know you are fustrated person. As such I believe we need to get you on to a season of success. What I suggest is you purchase an Earthbox. http://www.earthbox.com While I'm totally an organic gardener, I'm going to look the other way when I will suggest you follow their program. Follow their program. Or if you want to go totally organic I can help you there. It is not really any harder. You just have to mix your own fertilzer. Next, if heat is a problem on your deck then I suggest trying out Burpee's Heatwave tomatoes. Heatwave

There are several heat-resistant varieties besides Heatwave. Those with medium to large fruit are: Homestead 24, Merced, Solar Set, Spitfire, Sun Chaser, Sunmaster, Sunny, Surefire, Terrific and Viva Italia. The small fruit ones are: Gardener’s Delight, Grape, Husky Cherry Red, Jolly, Juliet, Small Fry, Sugar Snack, Sun Cherry, SunGold, SuperSweet 100 and Sweet Chelsea.

Burpee is claiming that Heatwave will set fruit @ 100 degrees; however, I read two studies where it set fruit at 117 degrees. I have grown them here in the summer along with other heat tomatos. My summers are hot. Not a bad fruit. About 8-10 ounce.

Sorry I could not be of more help. Perhaps Phil can when he see this thread.

hollers you more than likely did everything correctly. Now high of 60? Then your lows are in the 50s (?) If below 55 the same problem will happen to your flowers--if I remember correctly.

Where I live I see alot of 68-72 the winter months so I don't really have to deal with cold weather.

Hi.

I'm not sure how big my containers are. I used them last year and didn't have this problem. I know it sounds as if I water a lot, but if I don't my plants wilt...after just one day! There are drainage holes in the bottom of my containers..I've seen the water come out when I've put a little too much water on the plants.

Like I mentioned, my plants were gorgeous until a few weeks ago. Now I can pull dead leaves off almost every day. It's sad. The good news is, my fruit is still ripening. Just ate one for lunch today!

So no one likes Celebrity, huh? I'll have to plant a new kind next year....are there others better suited for pots other than the two BigBoy mentioned?

One more thing...I read in the paper yesterday that a lot of tomato plants in our area are suffering late blight, I think, because of our damp, cool weather this summer...but I don't think that's what I have.....I don't know for sure, but like I said, my fruit hasn't been affected..except that I don't really see any new fruit setting. What set before the leaves started dying is ripening and not rotting.

Thanks in advance for any additional comments!
P.S. One more dumb question: I've read that you're not supposed to store tomatoes in the fridge because they lose their flavor. But what about a ripe tomato that you've cut a few slices from, but haven't used the whole thing?? Seems it should go in the refrigerator, right? Sorry for the dumb question!

oh yea, and forgot to say that after you cut a mater you should put it in the fridge. you can leave them out if they aren't cut into though.