I bought two tomato plants at my local Lowes this spring, planted them in large patio pots like I do every year. I did nothing differently than I usually do, but one failed to produce at all, the other gave me only a few tough & mealy tomatoes. They've had lots of sun, plenty to drink, and a little miracle grow. We have a bad ant problem and I planted marigolds in the pot, too. Could that be the issue?

They look to be on the dry side to me.

A little Miracle Grow what? Potting soil, fertilizer? I plant my tomatoes every Mother's Day with a top dressing of 4" of fresh potting soil, typically Miracle Grow. However, I use one without fertilizer for my tomatoes. I fertilize once a month at 1tsp per gallon of 20-20-20. I feed only in June, July, and August. By September my tomatoes are showing sign of slowing down.

Lsn, it does look like they've had too much nitrogen-rich fertilizer evidenced by the leggy stems and spaces between leaf nodes. If you are using the all-purpose MG liquid fertilizer, it has too much nitrogen. I think they make a Bloom Booster more suited for producing flowers and fruits. Are they flowering? If your night temperatures have been above 70 degrees they won't set fruit until it cools down.

I can't think why marigolds would have a negative effect on the tomatoes, they're considered beneficial companion plants.

I used the same soil from years past on the bottom of the container, but a fresh 4 inches of MG soil for the top. I only gave them a tiny bit of MG fertilizer after they were in the pot a few weeks. I thought they were doing so well growing & flowering at first, then they began looking dry and sad. Granted, it's been a hot season, but I've kept them watered. Also, the tomatoes on the first plant took forever to ripen. They just stayed green forever! The second plant had a big 3rd stem that looked like it didn't belong, so I cut it off after reading about pruning. I thought maybe that would allow nutrition to get to the other stalks, but no.

Lsn, yeah, after I answered I was thinking that those leaves don't look lush enough to point to excess nitrogen. They actually look pale and sick-ish. Some look chlorotic. Lots of complaints about tomatoes this year--mine have plenty of fruit but they aren't turning red. I'm going to call someone who knows a lot about tomatoes who is nearer to you for her opinion. We might need closer photos of the leaves and ends of the stalks.
@gardenfish, what do you think?

I was just reading a post from someone who had similar symptoms as yours, including the mealy fruit. The problem was drainage--wet, compacted soil around the roots. I wonder if the soil from last year in the bottom of the pot is too wet? Tomatoes like water, but not soggy soil around their roots.

Well, just my opinion, but those leaves don't look healthy to me. It could be a lack of nitrogen, they get that pale green like that when they need more, but I think I see spots on the leaves, which can be an indication of disease. If it is disease, it would probably be some kind of fungal disease, I've had three different kinds on my plants in the past, plus a bacterial leaf spot. I would send a leaf in through the local extension office for them to analyze for diseases. If requested, they will also check to see if the plant is deficient in N, P, or K.
I really don't know why the fruit would take so long to ripen; right now mine seem to ripen overnight! I do know that at least here, and probably for Lsn in Tennessee, it's hot enough that they won't be setting fruit again until it cools down in the fall. The trick is to keep them alive and healthy until then, and it's harder than it sounds for Southern gardeners. I'm still setting fruit, but on my big slicers it's only one out of four blooms. The cherry tomatoes are still setting every bloom. That's why it's such a good idea for Southern gardeners to grow them. I found out just recently that it's not the high temps during the day that makes tomatoes quit setting fruit, it's the high temps at night, ones over about 74 degrees. As for watering, tomatoes are thirsty plants, specially in pots! I have 11 in pots, and I check by pushing my finger in the soil to see if they need to be watered. With the high temps coming, I would say I will have to water the pots every day.

Zoe, you may be on to something. I actually put my drainage holes in my pots I use for tomatoes in the lower sides of the pots, not the bottom. That helps tremendously with having good drainage. I water until I see the water pouring out, but I water long enough to ensure all the soil gets throughly wetted.

These are great suggestions! I'm gonna try drilling a few holes at the lower end of each pot. Just because you asked, here's a close up of the leaves.





I really don't see anything on the leaves. They ate small, though!

In that first photo, you managed to get the deck, fence, and tomato cage in focus, but not the leaves! However, the overall color and texture of them is not healthy looking. Work on the drainage, change fertilizer, and see how it goes. BTW, fertilizing in extremely hot weather, like above 90, can stress the plant. I mean overall heat, not just to avoid doing it in the sun. Also, think about putting a mulch on the soil to converse water evaporation. Here's a good article about tomato heat stress. Actually, it's a good website for tomato growers generally.

http://www.tomatodirt.com/too-...

Good luck!

I would still send a sample in, it's usually free. I use ours all the time. I'm a Master Gardener, and we are affiliated with the extension service here in Arkansas. Their services are great, and I can't recommend them enough.

Sorry for being out of focus! Couldn't see the screen in the bright sun!🙃🌞 I am by no means a good gardener... but I try, and I LOVE 💘 plants!!

that's the most important thing!