Wipe your pruning shear blades with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol, and prune the stems above the second set of leaves that lie beneath stem tips. Tomatoes produce a crop about 65 days to 80 days after sowing.
Consult a local county extension office for help in identifying and treating specific problems. According to Kansas State University, in southeastern Kansas, plant tomatoes early-to-mid April; in eastern and central Kansas, plant tomatoes from late April...
Tomato plants benefit from regular moderate irrigation—a little bit of water every day rather than gross fluctuations in watering routine. Water the plants early in the morning rather than later in the day for the best results.
Drive a stake into the ground next to your tomato plants and tie the bag to the top of the stake by the string closures. You can recognize the damage from rats by their tracks and droppings around the plants.
The condition, known as physiological leaf curl, can also affect seedlings soon after you transplant them outdoors. Since no cures exist for the virus, the best way to prevent yellow leaf curl virus is to control insect infestations and select healthy,...
The two plants are companion plants, mutually beneficial to each other. When you pair tomatoes and cucumbers in the same space in the same year, that effectively gives you double use of one susceptible area before you have to rotate in another crop.
Once a fungus attacks a plant, eliminating it isn't easy. Wet weather aids the spread of the fungus, and it affects the fruit, as well, with rough, dark brown patches. Wet foliage encourages fungal disease.
Helping the plant create a deep root system starts at planting. Soil with a high clay content should be amended with compost to increase the organic content. To obtain this depth of root growth, dig a planting hole that allows you to set the seedling...
Magnesium promotes seed germination and chlorophyll production, and it also facilitates the plants' absorption of phosphorous and nitrogen. Epsom salt is made of magnesium and sulfur.
If you've noticed strange-looking tomatoes--those with different colors and shapes--then you've seen an heirloom. Many heirloom cultivars have been passed down through several generations of a family.The renewed interest in heirlooms started in the 1970s.
Fungal blight rarely occurs during dry times, but once the rainy, humid season hits, fungal blight can quickly destroy a tomato plant. To control blight, fungicide sprays should be applied prior to a rain event.
If the tomato skin has some give and does not feel firm, the chances are good that it will be mealy on the inside and you should buy another one instead. Cold temperatures convert the natural sugars in the tomato to starch.
Fill the buckets to halfway and set aside the extra soil to fill in around the plants.Dig a hole in the center of the growing mix to equal the size of the seedling's roots. Place a 2-inch layer of coarse gravel or small stones in the bottom to prevent...
If you live in Northern Georgia, you may have to wait until late February or early March.Plant seedlings from mid-March to early May in Georgia. Fortunately, the Peach State has plenty of days with temperatures in this range, making for a relatively long...
Freeze the dust cup overnight before emptying its contents into a sealed plastic bag and placing it in the trash.A host of beneficial bugs, including pirate bugs, lacewings and ladybugs, prey on whiteflies.To lure them to your tomato patch, layer several...
Continue to give your plants 1 to 2 inches of water a week; however, only allow the top 1 to 2 inches of soil to dry out before watering again. Place the flat in a larger shallow container that's filled with water.
If you're looking for a variety that has flavorful, all-purpose fruits, a tomato called "Better Boy" could be the perfect choice. To prevent fungal problems, water early on sunny days so plants dry quickly, and use a soaker hose or drip irrigation to...
Tomatoes are highly sensitive to frost, so be sure to wait until the last freeze of the season is behind you before you plant them outdoors. If you plan to add tomatoes to your Tennessee garden this year, planting at the right time is essential.Tomatoes...
Wildlife readily dispersed tomato seeds throughout countries such as Bolivia, Chile and Peru.Tomato seeds can be dispersed by birds and foraging animals. Tomatoes are fruits.Tomato plants bear a strong resemblance to deadly nightshade.
Florida's heat and humidity bothered them not in the least. Growing a bit taller is ‘Showstar', reaching 14 to 24 inches tall. Students who finished their work early were allowed to weed and water the plants.
Treat with ready-to-use liquid copper fungicide. Wear protective clothing and goggles when you spray.Easily mistaken for fungal leaf spots, bacterial spot (Xanthomonas campestris pv.
If aphids or other insects appear, get a spray bottle full of water mixed with 1 tsp. Contact the Office of International Programs in Agriculture to find where to obtain these plants.
The first grape tomatoes are usually ready to harvest about 75 days after planting, so startwhen you see the first small, green fruits -- usually sometime in July, depending on your climate.
Avoid clay pots, which dry out quickly. Make sure that the plants will get enough light by placing the container in an area that receives eight hours of full sun a day. This is the easiest variety to grow, and one that will impart a particularly sweet...
Angle the stem area that will remain above ground away from the soil surface. Tomato roots grow best in warm, moist soil that contains plenty of oxygen. Sowing tomato seeds indoors before frosts are over in spring prolongs the growing season, but the...
Avoid spraying plants in direct sunlight or when temperatures reach higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or you risk burning the foliage. Oils can also help eradicate fungal spores already infecting your tomato plants.Baking soda sprays are easy to make,...
An option to protect young tomato plants is to wash and cut the tops off plastic milk containers and place the containers over the plants before the night's frost. After the first fall frost, harvest all the fruits.
