This time of year, questions often concern tomatoes. After all,
tomatoes are the No. 1 vegetable grown by home gardeners. That’s
why this week’s garden question-and-answer session will only deal
with tomato problems. Here are the most common problems with
growing tomatoes. Remember, you can e-mail questions to
ga*******@jp*.net
. Or you can always mail me questions in care of
this newspaper. For a faster, personal response, please include a
self-addressed, stamped envelope.
This time of year, questions often concern tomatoes. After all, tomatoes are the No. 1 vegetable grown by home gardeners. That’s why this week’s garden question-and-answer session will only deal with tomato problems. Here are the most common problems with growing tomatoes. Remember, you can e-mail questions to
ga*******@jp*.net
. Or you can always mail me questions in care of this newspaper. For a faster, personal response, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Q: What is causing large, brown or black soft spots at the bottom of my tomatoes? It appears my fruits are simply rotting at the ends.
A: Rotting at the ends is caused by the appropriately named disease: blossom end rot. It appears as a large, dark soft spot at the bottom of the tomato just as it is beginning to ripen. The bad news is you can’t save a tomato once it is infected. Picking off all the bad fruit will allow the plant to devote its energy to developing healthy tomatoes. Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency, which is usually the result of an uneven water supply. This goes back to watering deeply and thoroughly in order for plants to absorb the necessary calcium from the soil. Mulch will also help the soil retain moisture. Sometimes adding agricultural lime, which contains calcium, will quickly help solve the problem.
Q: What are these ugly caterpillar-like creatures on my tomato plants?
A:Those distinctive caterpillars are tomato hornworms. They are masters of camouflage as they are the color of green stems, but have seven or eight diagonal white stripes down their sides. Each stripe is shadowed with a row of black dots. Hand-picking is the preferred method of control. Although they are huge, they usually aren’t numerous. If you’re a little hesitant about picking up a hornworm, wear gloves. You can also spray with Bt or Bacillus thuringiensis. It is a common biological ingredient found in organic sprays that come in a variety of brand name products.
Q:What is causing the leaves of one of my tomato plants to turn yellow?
A:Yellowing leaves on tomato plants can be caused by overwatering, lack of nitrogen or transplant shock. Tomatoes need nitrogen at the start of their growing for green healthy leaves, but a balanced fertilizer later in the season. Tomatoes are also moisture sensitive, and need a regular supply of water to thrive and produce fruit.
Q:What is causing the leaves to curl on my tomato plant?
A: Curling leaves can be caused if the soil is kept too wet, or intensive sunlight causes carbohydrates to accumulate in the leaves. Reduce watering on your plants. Once established and bearing, most tomato plants can get by with water just twice a week. Tomato plants need 1 to 1-1/2 inches of water a week. Often the problem is not the amount of water, but sudden changes in soil-moisture levels. This translates to not drying out the soil and then suddenly watering. Try mulching plants with a 4- to 6-inch layer of organic compost in order to conserve moisture and prevent a dry-wet soil differential.
Finally, during our really hot weather, consider providing temporary shade over plants.
