It’s garden questions and answers again! You may e-mail me
questions at: ga********@*ps.net. Or you can mail me questions in
care of this newspaper. For a faster, personal response, please
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Q: This year has been a terrible season for my neighbors and I
with tomatoes. I have three varieties planted, and all three are
suffering the same symptoms.
It’s garden questions and answers again! You may e-mail me questions at: ga********@*ps.net. Or you can mail me questions in care of this newspaper. For a faster, personal response, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Q: This year has been a terrible season for my neighbors and I with tomatoes. I have three varieties planted, and all three are suffering the same symptoms. The leaves are drying up, growth is stunted and poor fruit yield. One neighbor has had limited success with additional fertilizing and watering. My other neighbor gave up and pulled out his plants. Can you tell me what is going on with our crops? – RT., Morgan Hill.
A: I wish I could give you and your neighbors a definitive answer. My tomatoes have done well in Gilroy this summer, but I planted in large containers, so soil wasn’t a problem.
From all indications, it sounds like there’s some sort of fungus disease in your soils. What’s strange is that you and your neighbors would all experience the same type of symptoms during the same year.
Because of this phenomenon, I’m guessing that it might have been some sort of air-borne fungus. If it was, there’s nothing any of you could have done to prevent the problems. I would continue to rotate my crops, trying not to plant tomatoes in that same garden spot next year.
You can also try “solar fumigating,” which involves covering the area with plastic during hot weather to kill fungus disease. Sorry that I can’t be of more assistance in this case. Are there any readers out there who might have an answer?
Q: I have this (enclosed) weed in my lawn. When cut, it smells like carrots or old celery. It is very hardy. How do I get rid of it? – J.H., Gilroy.
A: I have to get some of the weirdest mail around! Imagine getting a letter with a weed enclosed. Thank you for helping, but weed identification isn’t exactly my forte.
The fact that it’s growing in your grass lawn, though, at least gives me a clue as to how to deal with it. I would try spraying your lawn with a broadleaf weed herbicide, such as Ortho’s Weed-B-Gon. It should kill the weeds without hurting your lawn. The worst thing that will happen is that the weeds won’t die and your lawn won’t either!
You can also spot treat with a specific contact weed-killer, such as Round-Up. Be warned that Round-Up will kill an area several inches beyond where the weed was growing, so you’re going to end up with some temporary brown spots.
You can also hand-weed. I’ve had good luck with a tool called the Cobra Head precision weeder. Its blade is a “steel fingernail” that becomes an extension of your hand. Check it out on the Web at: www.cobrahead.com , or call (608) 423-9119 for information.
Finally, proper mowing (both height and frequency) and fertilizing will go a long way toward keeping a lawn healthy. Gardener’s Supply Company has a free bulletin on lawn care at www.gardeners.com, or by calling (800) 863-1700.
