Over-watered Tomatoes

[Colleen]

So I've planted tomatoes in the ground in my parents garden or my community garden. This year we have our own house...but I didn't get my garden tilled or ready in time. So I planted my tomatoes in pots. It turned out that the bottom got clogged and it filled up with water. We just noticed and poured it out (like gallons). One plant seems to be doing okay but the other isn't so much...pretty sure it's dying.

Can I save it? Or is it hopeless...any suggestions for drying it out?

See pic of both plants...please ignore all the weeds! We just moved in and are just now getting to the yard

 

[grouie]

Your pots must be having drainage holes. Also placing a few pieces of bricks at the bottom will help proper drainage.

 

[Colleen]

Your pots must be having drainage holes. Also placing a few pieces of bricks at the bottom will help proper drainage.

Thanks! I didn't think of that, I'll have to go pick up some bricks.

 

[grouie]

Thanks! I didn't think of that, I'll have to go pick up some bricks.

They must be mud brick pieces.

 

[Beth_B]

I agree with grouie; definitely potted plants need drainage holes. I put an inch or three (depending on pot size) of pebbles in the bottom of pots.
The plant on the left is probably a goner. The one of the right looks OK though. Over-watering is probably the single biggest mistake people make with plants of all kinds. For tomatoes, water in the morning, at the bottom of the plant under the leaves, not overhead. Lots of water 1-3x per week, depending on heat and climate. It's OK to let them get a bit dry and even droopy at times; that actually helps produce more fruit.
Welcome to the forum.

 

[headfullofbees]

Putting pebbles or bricks or "old crocks" in pots is a waste of time and will cause extra work at the end of the season.
All you need to do is to make sure that your drainage holes don't sit absolutely flat on the ground, even if that means drilling them in the sides close to the bottom.

 

[grouie]

Putting pebbles or bricks or "old crocks" in pots is a waste of time and will cause extra work at the end of the season.
All you need to do is to make sure that your drainage holes don't sit absolutely flat on the ground, even if that means drilling them in the sides close to the bottom.

The mud brick pieces (may about 2" in size about 3 or 4) need to be kept at the bottom and that is how I have been doing it for many many years.

 

[Chuck]

Having to add stones, bricks, gravel etc is an urban legend and old wives tale. All it does is subtract from the volumn of potting soil and the total area of the plants root growing zone, thus encouraging the plant to become root bound. You must have adequate drainage, Most containers have one 1" hole in the bottom and that isn't enough. Your containers should never sit flat on the ground as this will lead to the drainage hole/holes clogging up and as a means for ants/other insects to invade your potting soil. Think about it...................what will a brick do? Will the plants roots not completely grow around and engulf the brick as if it wasn't even there? Of course they will. Will a brick stop the roots from growing out of the drainage holes? Of course they won't.

 

[grouie]

Having to add stones, bricks, gravel etc is an urban legend and old wives tale. All it does is subtract from the volumn of potting soil and the total area of the plants root growing zone, thus encouraging the plant to become root bound. You must have adequate drainage, Most containers have one 1" hole in the bottom and that isn't enough. Your containers should never sit flat on the ground as this will lead to the drainage hole/holes clogging up and as a means for ants/other insects to invade your potting soil. Think about it...................what will a brick do? Will the plants roots not completely grow around and engulf the brick as if it wasn't even there? Of course they will. Will a brick stop the roots from growing out of the drainage holes? Of course they won't.

The pots that we have here have holes on the side and not at the bottom. Brick pieces aid drainage and the pieces are not so large that they block growth of plants. Old wives tales or whatever I am happy with this method and will continue with this.

 

[Chuck]

The pots that we have here have holes on the side and not at the bottom. Brick pieces aid drainage and the pieces are not so large that they block growth of plants. Old wives tales or whatever I am happy with this method and will continue with this.

Yes, many containers have holes in the sides here too, but please explain to me just how putting bricks into a container adds to drainage when it is the holes themselves that do the draining. The only thing that bricks or rocks do is to act as a counter balance to help the container stay upright during heavy wind and even that can be done by other means

 

[headfullofbees]

The pots that we have here have holes on the side and not at the bottom. Brick pieces aid drainage and the pieces are not so large that they block growth of plants. Old wives tales or whatever I am happy with this method and will continue with this.

When you add crocks, or pebbles, or whatever, you are effectively growing in a smaller pot.
This will mean that you will have to water more frequently.
Every time you water a pot, the run-through carries with it some of the nutrients from the growing medium.
If you wish to continue to use this method, that's entirely your choice, and I respect your right to waste your time.

 

[CanadianLori]

I have been growing in pots for quite awhile and also pails. Drainage problem? No problem. Just take a drill and punch some holes in the sides near the bottom.

they drain, slowly after the soil is good and wet and have not caused me to water more often

 

[grouie]

When you add crocks, or pebbles, or whatever, you are effectively growing in a smaller pot.
This will mean that you will have to water more frequently.
Every time you water a pot, the run-through carries with it some of the nutrients from the growing medium.
If you wish to continue to use this method, that's entirely your choice, and I respect your right to waste your time.

This is my marigold plant in a pot having holes and brick pieces. I learnt gardening from a person who had more than 50 years of practical experience. He was attached to an Agricultural University. Finally it depends on each one's success. If you have got success using your method that's all that matters.

 

[Colleen]

Having to add stones, bricks, gravel etc is an urban legend and old wives tale. All it does is subtract from the volumn of potting soil and the total area of the plants root growing zone, thus encouraging the plant to become root bound. You must have adequate drainage, Most containers have one 1" hole in the bottom and that isn't enough. Your containers should never sit flat on the ground as this will lead to the drainage hole/holes clogging up and as a means for ants/other insects to invade your potting soil. Think about it...................what will a brick do? Will the plants roots not completely grow around and engulf the brick as if it wasn't even there? Of course they will. Will a brick stop the roots from growing out of the drainage holes? Of course they won't.

Oh, I completely misunderstood. I thought I should prop my pots up on a few bricks so they aren't flat on the ground. My pots have multiple drainage holes...but they are flat on the ground.

 

[headfullofbees]

This is my marigold plant in a pot having holes and brick pieces. I learnt gardening from a person who had more than 50 years of practical experience. He was attached to an Agricultural University. Finally it depends on each one's success. If you have got success using your method that's all that matters.

View attachment 7565

That's very nice that plant, and I did not mean to imply that you cannot have success using your method, but what I said about watering and nutrients stands.