Leaf edges turning brown

[joe645]

Any suggestions has to what is causing my cherry tomato leaf edges to turn brown.

[Shawn]

I can't help Joe but I am sure others will assist.

Lower the nutrients to 2-4 ml after doing a total dump and fill. That is definitely nutrient burn.

[joe645]

Is that 2-4ml per gallon?

yes. how much were you feeding to cause the burn?  just add less.?i also notice it is not an aerogarden...that may be  a factor in figuring the nute mix as well.

[joe645]

No, the plants were started in AeroGarden but then transplanted to 27gal tote system. Each is filled to 14 gal so roots sit in water but every 2 hours from 8am to 2am they get sprayed for 10 minutes giving them O2. I posted pictures of them a way back. What do you feel is optimum PPM for cherry tomatoes?

[joe645]

Hey On Vacation, I've started a new batch of cherry tomatoes in my Aero Harvest and since have transplanted them to my tote farm. I know we went through this earlier this year but the new batch leaves seem to be headed in the same direction; turning slightly brown and curling a bit. We talked about nutrients. In reading about them most journals say that the PPM should be around 1300ppm upward. Right now my reading is 1020ppm. How that coverts to nutrient levels in ml, I don't know how many ml, I have added since the transplant. I just added to bring the PPM up to its present level. I'm going to be changing the water soon and will add nutrients using the ml method. My tanks are 14 gal, so I presume I will add say 52ml. Does that sound right?

[Sher]

joe645 , I learned the hard way that the recommended ppm for tomatoes will fry our little cherry tomatoes.

The only time I get them up to or over 900 ppm is when they are loaded with almost ripe fruit. Then I may push it up around 1000 or so to boost the tomato taste.

I do 300-500 until the plants are almost mature. They stay healthy and unburned at that level.

That's just my opinion. Others may differ.

[joe645]

I believe that to be the case also. When I change my water, I will lower the PPM to around 400 until they are bearing fruit. Thank you.

[cf]

I hope this isn't considered a hijack of the thread, but maybe answers to me will help the original poster also.

Brand newbie here to hydroponics and AeroGarden both as well as to this forum which I was thrilled to find. Planted my new Harvest on 12/10 with a cherry tomato solo on one end of the deck and Dill, Geneoese Basil and Thyme at the other end. Tomato sprouted first after just 5 days, basil right on its tail, Thyme has two leaves showing healthy but still in the peat (below deck level) and my Dill popped through yesterday, over an inch tall today.

I've followed instructions with two caps of the provided nutes into Harvest's tank using bottled water and after removing dome, cherry tomato's two main leaves developed browned leaf tips and now I see same on edges of Basil leaves. No clue how to measure PPM of nutes given that I filled the tank to prescribed line, unmeasured otherwise.

I thought it may be the light which I have raised to 7 inches above top leaf height of tomato, currently the tallest plant but with Dill height gaining rapidly.

Can anyone suggest why I'm getting leaf burn? And if it's too strong of nutes, should I dump water and refill with distilled plus one capful? With such fast and robust germination of ALL my pods without a hitch, I've been thrilled with that success, and this leaf burn or whatever it is, is saddening.

I would so much appreciate any suggestions so I can take quick action. The rest of the leaves, including the green parts of the brown-tipped ones, look otherwise very healthy.

Not sure if this matters yet, but it may be helpful mentioning that it does not appear my water has gone below the level I filled it to... the rod that says "fill to here." The top of that rod sits even with the top surface of my water, it is not submersed.

Thanks in advance for any help offered.

[Shawn]

Dec 21, 2020 23:52:59 GMT -5 cf said:

I hope this isn't considered a hijack of the thread, but maybe answers to me will help the original poster also.

Brand newbie here to hydroponics and AeroGarden both as well as to this forum which I was thrilled to find. Planted my new Harvest on 12/10 with a cherry tomato solo on one end of the deck and Dill, Geneoese Basil and Thyme at the other end. Tomato sprouted first after just 5 days, basil right on its tail, Thyme has two leaves showing healthy but still in the peat (below deck level) and my Dill popped through yesterday, over an inch tall today.

I've followed instructions with two caps of the provided nutes into Harvest's tank using bottled water and after removing dome, cherry tomato's two main leaves developed browned leaf tips and now I see same on edges of Basil leaves. No clue how to measure PPM of nutes given that I filled the tank to prescribed line, unmeasured otherwise.

I thought it may be the light which I have raised to 7 inches above top leaf height of tomato, currently the tallest plant but with Dill height gaining rapidly.

Can anyone suggest why I'm getting leaf burn? And if it's too strong of nutes, should I dump water and refill with distilled plus one capful? With such fast and robust germination of ALL my pods without a hitch, I've been thrilled with that success, and this leaf burn or whatever it is, is saddening.

I would so much appreciate any suggestions so I can take quick action. The rest of the leaves, including the green parts of the brown-tipped ones, look otherwise very healthy.

Not sure if this matters yet, but it may be helpful mentioning that it does not appear my water has gone below the level I filled it to... the rod that says "fill to here." The top of that rod sits even with the top surface of my water, it is not submersed.

Thanks in advance for any help offered.

Welcome cf,  Glad you have found us.

I am of no help in the browning leaves on tomatoes as I have only grown a couple of times.  But let me give you a little info that may assist until someone else answers.

You will find, or at least I have, that herbs use less nutrients then tomatoes.  While AG states to use two capfuls, many of us have found that depending on plant will determine how much one can take.  Lettuce takes even less and peppers more. 

Another things that can cause some browning of the edges is leaving the plastic dome on too long.  Meaning, the domes should be removed before any leaves touch them.  This causes browning of leaves.  So is it a possibility this is the culprit?

Another thing I have found is that herbs and lettuce like cold/cool water while peppers and tomatoes like warm, not hot.

Take some time to stroll thru the different sections and threads. There is a wealth of info here.  Also use the search feature.  Of course feel free to always ask as well.  There are no silly questions.

Lastly let me say that as a beginner you may have some failures.  That is fine, we all have them.  The wonderful thing about AG'ing is that we can start, stop and regrow any time we want any time of the year no matter where you live.


I hope this helps some!  Keep us posted.

[cf]

Thank you Shawn, I'm glad I found you too! 

Nope, I removed both tomato and basil domes before any possible leaf contact -- but didn't rush it either, I just watched it very closely as tomato leaves got close and whisked the dome off when it got close.  When I saw the burn on the tomato leaves, thinking about it, I inverted a baby food jar I had (same collar size, otherwise wider and taller) for a day or so but then decided that might condition the plant to an unsustainable cozy, so removed it. 

Original poster's first response regarding nutes overkill gave me an instinct "ping" because I can't think of any other reason except perhaps maybe the plants don't like my bottled water.  The browning doesn't seem to have progressed on the Tomato, it seems to be forming rounded green leaf shape as though to show the burning isn't going to win.  But the edges of the basil are also browned. 

I'm going to do a search here for optimum light distance once I hit "Send" because that's the other thing I worried about.  Having raised the light to 7.5" above highest part of tomato plant, I saw my Dill was going pretty tall and spindly and stretching at an angle toward the light (it has 2 inches of leafless stem before the top few leaves), looking like it was a bit desperate so just now lowered the light to 5.5" and it's not hot under there so may lower it more.  Not thinking now that the light is the likely issue.    

[Shawn]

You can do an R&R (dump and refill with fresh water).  Wait a day or two before adding nutes again.  That seems to work well for some.

[cf]

Oh! Thank you, I will do just that! And will pick up distilled water just to be on the safe side.

[Shawn]

Dec 22, 2020 8:30:57 GMT -5 cf said:

Oh! Thank you, I will do just that! And will pick up distilled water just to be on the safe side.

Thankfully where I live I use my regular tap water.  Do you have soft water there?  It may be just that you are adding too much nutes.  

[cf]

Dec 22, 2020 12:13:27 GMT -5 cf said:

Dec 22, 2020 8:38:05 GMT -5 Shawn said:

Thankfully where I live I use my regular tap water.  Do you have soft water there?  It may be just that you are adding too much nutes.  

In NH. Very old house, Well water. That's why I used bottled, Hannaford's... Nature's Promise is the brand.