"Tomato Problems"
One of the more common tomato problems is 'blight'. This disease is the same as the one that potatoes get and can destroy your plants fairly quickly. Any healthy fruits can be used but unless treated, the plant will die back and not produce any more tomatoes. Many growers spray potato and tomato plants with 'Bordeaux mix' which is a combination of copper sulphate and lime and shouldn't disturb the balance of your soil. Plants may need spraying every couple of weeks during the summer to keep the blight virus controlled. Some growers prefer to use tap water rather than collected water in a rain barrel to water their tomatoes to avoid any spread of disease.  Prevention: Blight tends to appear in hot muggy summers and although none of us can control the weather, putting your plants in airier positions in the garden can help. Also blight is transferred from crop to crop among potatoes, tomatoes and peppers, which are all in the same family of plants. Don't plant tomatoes where potatoes or peppers have been grown during the past couple of years to avoid blight as much as possible. Also don't position tomatoes near potatoes as the virus will spread easily if your potatoes get blight. Plant as far from each other as possible. Use a shield of some sort if space is difficult to organise.
This is when the bottom of the fruits start to go brown/black and rot. Invariably this problem is caused by lack of water. Always make sure tomatoes are watered regularly, at least once a day if there's been no rain. The ground must also be well-drained as water-logging will damage your plants probably even more than drying out.
Green, black and white fly can attack tomato plants although this isn't a common problem with tomatoes. If you have a general aphid problem in your garden, introduce a colony of lady birds! ( also known as ladybugs ) Ladybirds eat aphids by the bucket load and will really help keep the aphid level under control in the garden. If you've got aphids now, the best thing to do is order a ladybird kit! This one from Crocus (UK) promises to sort out the problem! and in the US, Amazon are a good place to start...
*Lack of nutrients in the soil resulting in poor growth and little fruit. To help prevent this, rotate your crops so that the same nutrients aren't being drawn every year, and feed the soil from time to time with well-rotted manure or compost. Comfrey acts as a tonic in your soil and will help roots of plants absorb nutrients. Scan this page for a good comfrey feed idea... Comfrey Feed *Lots of foliage and no fruit. The extra growth between the main stem and branches of tomato plants should be removed. This will encourage the plant to produce fruit rather than lots of leaf. *Split fruits. Again, this could be lack of water. Not enough water is one of the main tomato problems that come up. Tomatoes do need regular watering to produce the best crops. There are a number of gruesome tomato problems and disease pictures with lots of good information on this page.. Tomato problems These tomato problems may not be relevant to your region, but it may be worth a look if the above ideas don't solve the problem.  Happy Gardening! Grow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.  Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .  This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It! Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.  This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.  Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense Back To Garden Vegetables Back to Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - your FREE monthly ezine! http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/tomatoproblems.html |
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