Gardening Tip 15: Protecting your tomatoes
9:25 a.m. Monday, July 21, 2008
A wet spring and summer is taking its toll on tomatoes.
"You're going to see a lot of early blight on the tomato plants," Garden Expert Dave Jackson said. "It starts at the bottom of the plant and works its way up."
If your tomato plant's leaves are turning brown, you likely have early blight, he said.
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"It looks like you tomatoes just kinda burning up from the bottom 'cause if you don't get it corrected then you just have dead leaves," he said.
Early detection is key.
"When you start to see these, get out and remove the leaves that are starting to show infection, and then you really need to begin treatment with one of the garden fungicides," he said.
If left untreated, the plant will die and no tomatoes will be produced.
The rains also can cause cracks on your tomatoes left on the vine too long.
"When you get a rain then, the tomato wants to do one final spurt of growth and splits the skin," Jackson said.
He urges people to pick their tomatoes when their a little greener.
If you leave a cracked tomato on a vine too much, fungus can get into the crack and your tomato will rot.
Gardening Advice
See other interviews with a representative from Jackson's Greenhouse for more advice on gardening.
- Gardening Tip 24: Arrival of fall means more yard maintenance (October 27, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 23: Attack broadleaf weeds before it's too late (October 20, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 22: Next spring's weeds are making plans for your yard (October 13, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 21: Put your green thumbs to use in October (October 6, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 20: Don't assume flower growing season is over (Sept. 29, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 19: Lawn beautification starts with a simple test (Sept. 22, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 18: Some pure seed bags are not that innocent (Sept. 15, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 17: Got rotting tomatoes? The problem may be more than meets the eye (Sept. 8, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 16: Don't waste your money on crab grass killer (Aug. 25, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 15: Protecting your tomatoes (July 21, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 14: Weeding out grass look-a-likes (July 14, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 13: Combating plant-damaging beetles, bugs (July 7, 2008)
- Gardening Tip 12: Freeze threat over; check for soggy ground before planting (May 10, 2007)
- Gardening Tip 11: Don't get too anxious to start gardening (March 9, 2007)
- Gardening Tip 10: Start caring for your plants before weather warms up (February 8, 2007)
- Gardening Tip 9: Bring outdoors inside during cold weather (Nov. 20, 2006)
- Gardening Tip 8: To preserve your blooms, cover perennials at night (Oct. 12, 2006)
- Gardening Tip 7: Put down lawn seed by second week in October (Sept. 14, 2006)
- Gardening Tip 6: Moisture, fertilizer critical to beautiful lawns (Aug. 24, 2006)
- Gardening Tip 5: Soak your plants weekly (July 13, 2006)
- Gardening Tip 4: Water, fertilizer crucial during summer months (June 9, 2006)
- Gardening Tip 3: Hold off on planting fruits (May 11, 2006)
- Gardening Tip 2: Sow your seeds on Mother's Day (April 13, 2006)
- Spring time is almost here; get your greenthumb out (March 9, 2006)
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