Plant Protection - Home-Grown Tomato Problems
There is nothing quite as tasty as a home-grown tomato, and nobody as proud as the gardener who produced it. If you are having problems with your crop, the most common symptoms, probable causes, and suggested remedies are listed below.
Bottom of Fruit Turns Black Blossom End Rot
Blossom End Rot is a physiological disorder caused by lack of calcium in the plant. This condition generally occurs when soil has not been adequately limed with ground limestone several months before planting the tomatoes, or when fluctuating soil moisture damages root tips so that the plants are unable to pick up calcium from the soil. Blossom end rot is evident when a large black spot forms on the bottom of a tomato just before it ripens.
The quickest cure for this problem is to spray the foliage with a solution of calcium chloride at the rate of one teaspoon per gallon, or to fertilize the plant with calcium nitrate at the rate of no more than one tablespoon per plant. Calcium chloride and calcium nitrate solutions are available at lawn and garden centers, and at many hardware stores. However, these substances may be difficult to find at certain times of the year.
If this is the case, try fertilizing with calcium sulfate, commonly sold as gypsum or land plaster. Apply calcium sulfate (one tablespoon per plant) to the soil near the tomato plant and water it. Sheetrock, wall board or gypsum board also contain these nutrients. If you have any of these items available, you can provide the soil with calcium sulfate by breaking off a few pieces of the material and pushing them into the soil near the plant. The calcium sulfate will not change the soil pH.
If you did not adequately lime your soil several months before planting, you can obtain a liming effect by adding hydrated lime or quicklime when you prepare soil in the spring. Be extremely careful when using these substances because they can burn you in addition to the plants. Do not touch these limes and do not touch your eyes or any mucous membranes when using these substances. When the lime is added to soil, it will heat it and kill any plants that are present. Therefore, these limes should be added to soil at least one week before setting plants so they can react with soil moisture to produce the desired effect.
If you are in doubt as to whether your soil has adequate calcium for growing tomatoes, contact your county agent for a soil test kit. Your soil will be tested free of charge, and you will receive an analysis that will indicate exactly how much ground dolimitic limestone must be added for a healthy garden. Since ground limestone is slow acting, apply it to the garden in both Spring and Fall.
Tomatoes Crack Upon Ripening Moisture Problem
Caused by too much water after a dry spell. Water soil during dry periods; keep soil moisture even.
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‘Flying Dandruff'Around Plants Adult Whitefly
Spray the underside of the foliage with Insecticidal Soap, Pyrethrins, or Thiodan. You will need to repeat the spray as the eggs hatch, usually every three (3) days in the heat of summer.
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Edges of Leaves Brown and Dry Potassium Deficiency
Fertilize with 5-10-15; (third number indicates Potassium level)
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Lower Leaves Spotted; Leaves Falling From Plants Fungus Disease
Water soil, not the leaves, and do it in the morning, not at night.Spray leaves with Daconil 2787 or Maneb if disease is severe of weather is wet.
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Plants Wilt in Spite of Watering Wilt Disease
There is no cure for present crop. Fumigate soil with Vapam before next crop. Plant a wilt resistant variety such as Better Boy. Rotate crops in your garden each year.
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Plants Appear Stunted; Roots ‘Bumpy' Nematodes
There is no cure for present crop. Fumigate soil with Vapam before next crop. Plant a nematode resistant variety such as Better Boy. Rotate crops in your garden each year.
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Tomatoes Chewed; Holes In Fruit Tomato Hornworm
Hand-pick worms. Spray fruit with liquid Sevin in evening, after bees have stopped foraging. Other choices include Dipel or Thuricide, which are biological insecticides.
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READ AND FOLLOW ALL LABEL DIRECTIONS AS IMPROPER USE OF PESTICIDES MAY AFFECT ANIMAL AND HUMAN HEALTH.
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