Tomatoes 101--The Rest of the Story
Now that the tomatoes are in the ground, staked, and growing, the goal is to produce a good crop. This requires an awareness of possible problems along the way. We cannot control Mother Nature--temperature and rainfall--but in some cases there may be things we can do to minimize the damage to tomatoes. Prolonged periods of heavy rainfall may cause Leaf Roll (which is actually characteristic of some cultivars) and although it may reduce fruit production, it usually isn't of great concern. It is easy to recognize because the edges of the leaves curl up and may overlap, the leaves becoming firm and leathery to the touch. Blossom Drop, in which mature blossoms fall off the plant, is caused by extremes in temperature. The blossom develops fruit only if the nighttime temperatures are between 55° and 75° F. Commercial hormone sprays are not very effective against blossom drop. Cracked Fruit is a malady caused by uneven moisture--especially heavy rainfall after a hot, dry period. Careful watering and mulching will help prevent this problem. Blossom End Rot is characterized by a dry, leathery scar on the bottom, or blossom end of the fruit. This, too, may be caused by uneven soil moisture, especially during hot, dry periods, and, again, mulching along with careful watering may help. Blossom End Rot is caused also by a calcium deficiency in the soil. Catfacing is a puckering at the blossom end and may be caused by cool, cloudy weather during the blooming phase which causes the blossom to stick to the developing fruit. This scar sometimes goes deep inside the fruit, and there isn't much we can do to prevent it.
Insects are always a challenge. There are chemicals and organic ways available to control the insects, but in order to know which one to choose you must know which insect you want to target! It is very likely that anyone who has grown tomatoes has come face to face with the Hornworm! Handpicking is recommended, but I prefer to wear gloves when I pick! If you see a hornworm with white spikes, he has already met his doom, and has become a host to a beneficial wasp. However, he can still consume tomato leaves at a rapid rate as long as he lives. The Fruitworm, which eats holes in the fruit and buds, usually requires a spray for control. The fruitworm is identical to the corn earworm, so corn and tomatoes should not be planted next to each other. Flea Beetles are on the "Top Ten Garden Insect Pests" list and attack a variety of plants in the garden. Suspect these tiny, black jumping bugs if you see many tiny holes in the leaves of your tomato plants. Leaf Miners attack by tunneling inside the leaves, causing white, curly trails in the leaf. Stink Bugs, big enough to see and easy to recognize, suck the juices from the plant. They will cause irregular white spots under the skin of the fruit. Spider Mites are hard to spot, but they look like tiny red spots on the underside of the leaves, and you may also see very fine webbing. Their feeding causes yellow speckling on the leaves, which then turn brown and die.
Planting tomatoes that are resistant to Verticillium wilt (V), Fusarium wilt (F), tobacco mosaic (T) and blight will minimize the disease possibilities.
If you notice malformed fruit and leaves on your tomato plants, it is possible that 2,4D has been used somewhere in your area. Tomatoes are quite sensitive to 2-4D even if it has been used at some distance. In all probability they will recover eventually.
At planting time a 5-10-5 (or similar analysis which is high phosphorous) encourages good root growth. Purdue University (Bulletin HO-26) recommends a sidedressing of high nitrogen fertilizer (1 pound of 33-0-0 per 100 foot row) one to two weeks after the setting of the first fruit, two weeks after picking the first ripe fruit, and again six weeks after picking the first ripe fruit. This will see the plants through the season.
Will you have a ripe tomato by July 4th? Let us know!
Next Article: Tomatoes 101-The Final Chapter!