- Editors Corner
- Greetings Fellow Gardeners!
- Blossom End Rot
- Tomato Horn Worms
- Think About This:
- News & Events
- Newmarket Farmers Market
- Northwood Farmers Market
- Wentworth Greenhouse Farmers Market
- Coming Soon
- Updated Newsletter
Editors Corner
Greetings Fellow Gardeners!
As we approach the end of July (a fairly troubling thought in itself!) I hope that you are all well and enjoying this wonderful summer. The contrast with the summer (I use the term lightly!) we had last year is quite remarkable. Last year was perhaps the worst growing season I have ever experienced in my quite long gardening career and this summer ranks up there with the best ever. You have to love New England!
Most of you are probably harvesting a rich bounty from you garden by now. However, you are also probably beginning to deal with some of the inevitable problems that are inherent in the gardening world – pests and diseases. In this and the next couple of newsletters, I want to talk about some of the most common problems you might encounter or be dealing with as we speak.
Since tomatoes are the most popular vegetable and many of you (OK, us) judge your gardening skills by the quality of your tomatoes, let’s take a look at a couple of common problems that can greatly impact your tomato crop.
Blossom End Rot
I’ve already had many people call or write me asking what the problem is and how to deal with it. For those of you unsure of what I am talking about, here is a brief description. Your tomato plants look fine – green, strong and disease free. You are starting to get young tomatoes on the plants. Fruit size is currently about 1/3 to ½ of final size. Then, as you are checking your plants in that daily ritual we all engage in, you notice a small, watery looking spot at the blossom end of the fruit. No other sign of problems on the rest of the fruit, just the very end of the fruit where the blossom was. The next day or a few days later, the spot has turned black. The spot may grow to cover 1/3 to ½ of the entire fruit. These large spots (now lesions) soon turn leathery and flatten out. NOT A PRETTY OR COMFORTING SIGHT!
If you have not yet experienced this problem in your tomato growing career – be patient, you will! This is the wide spread problem called – BLOSSOM END ROT.
First, BLOSSOM END ROT is a disease. But, it has physiological rather than pathological roots so all the fungicides and/or pesticides in the world will not prevent or cure this condition. Subsequently, blossom end rot cannot be passed from plant to plant in your garden or in a commercial growing field. It cannot be passed from a diseased fruit to a healthy one in your shopping bag or refrigerator.
Blossom end rot occurs under stressful environmental conditions that negatively affect the delivery and/or availability of water and calcium to the plant and developing fruit. A young plant in rich soil will rapidly develop tender vegetative shoots and small tomatoes that will grow quite quickly. When this rapidly growing, tender tomato plant is suddenly subjected to a period of drought (natural or induced by insufficient watering) the roots cannot take up enough water or CALCIUM. This means that neither the rapidly growing vegetative (leaves and stems) shoots NOR the rapidly developing young tomatoes get enough water or calcium. The result is the development of the rot on the blossom end of the young fruit. This scenario is probably the number one cause of Blossom End Rot.
There are, however, several other factors that can induce or amplify Blossom End Rot. Remember how many times I suggest that you NOT plant your tomatoes too early in the spring ? The main reason being the SOIL TEMPERATURE as opposed to the air temperature. Well, tomato plants that are put out too early into soils (especially heavy soils) that are too cold will not (for several interesting reasons) develop root systems that are as strong or well developed as those of plants put out later into thoroughly warmed soils. The result? As the weather gets hotter and drier, the plant’s poorly developed root system cannot take up and deliver an adequate amount of water and calcium to the rapidly developing plant and fruit. Again, Blossom End Rot. Do you cultivate around your tomato plants with a hoe or some similar implement? If you cultivate too deeply or too close to the plant, you can damage the root system. So, once again, this means that the plant may not be able to take up and deliver the needed amount of water and calcium (along with other essential minerals) to the plant and young tomatoes. Blossom End Rot again! And finally, remember when I discussed pH and mineral availability/uptake? I talked about SOLUABLE SALTS in the soil. Ever had a window sill plant that you watered and gave fertilizer to for long periods of time? When you turned the pot over you noticed a crusty white deposit around the drain holes. These are some of the excess salts from the fertilizer that deposit when they are carried through the soil and then drain out the bottom. And remember an issue or two ago when I was talking about the individual minerals needed by plants to properly develop? How too much of one mineral in the soil can prevent the uptake of another necessary mineral by the plant? Well, soils that have too high a level of soluble salts can greatly increase the incidence of blossom end rot. This is because as the concentration of soluble salts INCREASES, the availability of calcium to the developing tomato DECREASES!
So what do we do to combat this widespread and potentially destructive problem? When you plant your tomato seedlings out in the beginning of the season, make sure to buy plants that are neither too tall and weak NOR hardened off too much. Plant LATER rather than earlier! Use the New Hampshire guideline of planting out on Memorial Day or even the following weekend. Make sure that your plants receive adequate water on a regular schedule (but remember, water the soil not the plant AND water in the morning and not at night!). Use organic principles to assure that your soil is alive and contains all the necessary nutrients and minerals for proper growth and health. MULCH (you’ve heard me say that before) to help the soil retain water during hot, dry spells. If you are going to cultivate around your tomatoes – DO SO GENTLY! You are better off just mulching so you don’t have a need to cultivate in the first place. I have talked a lot about fertilizers and you know my preference for ORGANIC fertilizers like fish and seaweed blends. Here is another reason. Go back and read my newsletter on organic verses non organic fertilizers. The big three in non organic fertilizers – N,P,K – are all water soluble and immediately available to the plant. In some ways, this can be good. HOWEVER, if you give your tomatoes (and for that matter any of your plants) fast acting non organic fertilizers that contain a lot of NITROGEN, it causes the plant to go into overdrive and rapidly produce tender vegetation. In tomatoes, this can do two things. The rapid growth of the vegetation and fruits can mean that the water and mineral demands increase. The weather gets hot and dry – once again the roots may not be able to keep up with the demand. Secondly, high nitrogen levels in the soil can cause tomato plants to put most of their energy into massive vegetative production (huge plants) and minimal fruit production. This is why, if you are an organic grower, you don’t put a lot of manure into the spot where you are going to grow your tomatoes.
Research has shown that one maneuver that can greatly help in the prevention and/or treatment of blossom end rot is the application of a fertilizer with a high middle number. Remember from the earlier newsletter on fertilizer, the middle number is PHOSPHORUS. Why? Phosphorus is critical for the development of strong, healthy root systems in plants. Stronger, healthier root systems mean more water and minerals (CALCIUM) delivered to the developing plant and fruit. For you organic growers, I once again come back to my favorite fertilizer – fish and seaweed blend. If you are using a non-organic fertilizer, this might be something like a 4-12-4 or a 5-20-5. Or, the application of a phosphorus supplement like superphos (which is faster acting than bone meal). You might read about spraying the foliage with something like calcium chloride. Can this work? Yes. BUT, you have to be EXTREMELY careful because calcium chloride can be highly toxic to the plant.
All in all, the best way to manage BLOSSOM END ROT is through good management of the nutrient levels in the soil and assuring that there is a consistent supply of moisture available to the plant. The more attention you pay to the quality and health of your soil, the fewer problems you will have with diseases like Blossom End Rot.
Tomato Horn Worms:
The first reaction by most of you is probably YUUUUUKKKKK!!! For those of you not familiar with these little @*^$()& s, they are those huge green worms that can seemingly eat half the foliage on a tomato plant in one sitting! It always amazes me that you see no sign of them anywhere, then next day you go out and they are the size of a Ball Park Frank and have already eaten the top third of the foliage and half of a beefsteak! I have my suspicions that they actually beam down from another planet or cross over from another dimension.
The scientific name of the tomato hornworm is MANDUCA QUINQUEMACULATA (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)! Go ahead, say that one fast three times! It is native to most of the Northern United States. The larvae (the hornworm we all love) feed only on SOLANACEOUS plants (tomato, eggplant, pepper and potato). The hornworm is the final larval stage of a large, brown moth called the “sphinx”, “hawk” or “hummingbird” moth. The moth has a wing span of 4”-5” and has yellow spots along the sides of its abdomen. The moth lays single eggs on the top and bottom of leaves in the late spring. The eggs hatch in about 8 days. The larvae go through 5-6 INSTARS or life stages. The first stage is whitish yellow with no markings and progresses to the final stage we fondly know as our big, green tomato hornworm. The development from stage one to the final stage we see as the “Green Monster” takes about 4 weeks. Soon, these fully-grown, green hornworms will drop off the plant and burrow into the soil to undergo pupation. In the summer, moths will emerge from pupation in about 2 weeks. These moths from the soil will find others, mate, and begin the cycle again by laying eggs on the tomato plants. As fall approaches, the worms that have entered the soil to pupate will remain in the soil to over winter. Then in the spring, they will emerge as a moth and begin the egg laying process.
There are several ways to deal with them First, you can hunt them down and pour half a container of SEVIN or EIGHT over them. But you can probably guess where that lies on my radar. You can use the “two rock” method. You can step on them. If you choose this option, be careful! Some of the really big ones might actually cause you to fall down. There is also the rumor of a woman in South Carolina who was attacked and dragged to the ground by one as she intended to do it in! What do I do? Well, being a vegetarian and having this respect for life streak in me, I cut some sucker branches from my tomato plants, make a pile far across the yard, and relocate them. And NO, they will not commit days to walk back across your yard to your tomato patch. They are not homing pigeons! And admit it, they actually are quite beautiful in their own way!
If you are fortunate enough to see one with all these little white sacks sticking up from its back – leave it alone or relocate it. The white sacks are the eggs of a small, predatory braconid wasp (Contesia congregatus). The eggs will hatch larvae that will invade the body of the worm and literally eat it from the inside out. Then, they will emerge from the shell and themselves turn into predatory wasps. These belong to that wonderful group of insects and organisms known to growers and gardeners everywhere as the BENEFICIALS.
And, to the reader who asked me if they are edible – NO! They should NOT be lightly sautéed with garlic and onions and served over a bed of saffron rice – appetizing as that may sound!
Think About This:
From FIRST FOR WOMEN magazine:
“When U.K. researchers instructed stressed-out women to weed, dig and prune in a garden, 86% of volunteers felt calmer within 20 minutes. “The tactile experience of handling soil and living plants activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which puts the breaks on bodily stress responses such as elevated blood pressure,” says James. He adds that tending to a potted plant delivers the same benefits.
Just burn yourself or hit your elbow? To help get fast relief from pain, grab the vanilla or almond extract and take a deep whiff! Researchers from the University of Quebec found that the sweet aroma of vanilla or almond extract can help relieve the pain in seconds. They believe that the sweet scent quickly reduces activity in the area of the brain that senses pain.
“Plant compounds in sour cherries called ANTHOCYANINS are proven to shut down activity of COX-1 and COX-2 (enzymes that produce joint pain in response to overexertion or disease) for 12 hours. In fact, cherry juice is 10 times more effective than aspirin at reducing pain markers. The daily dose: ½ cup of fresh or frozen tart cherries, ¼ cup of dried tart cherries or one 6 oz. glass of tart cherry juice..”
Until Next Time,
The Healthy Home Harvest team
feedback@healthyhomeharvest.com
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News & Events
Newmarket Farmers Market
When: Saturdays, from 9:00am until 1:00pm.
Where: The Stone Church, Newmarket NH.
The Newmarket Farmers Market starts again next Saturday, June 19th at the Stone Church on the hill in downtown Newmarket. It runs from 9:00am until 1:00pm. Great people, good music and a lot of fun.
The venue is small and intimate. The vendors are diverse, enthusiastic and friendly. There is great food available and some very talented live musicians provide first class entertainment. The feeling is more like a family gathering than a trip to the local store. We look forward to seeing you at the next Newmarket Farmers Market!
For those of you not familiar with Newmarket, the Stone Church is up on the hill behind the Post Office in downtown Newmarket. This is our favorite farmers market! Good atmosphere, live music, some wonderful vendors, good food and a variety of products. See you there!
Northwood Farmers Market:
When: Thursdays, 3:00pm until 6:30pm
Where:
Don’t forget that we are now at the Northwood Farmers Market every Thursday afternoon from 3:00pm until 6:30pm. The Market is held at the intersection of Routes 4 and 202. There is parking and a good selection of farmers. We have plants, in season produce, fertilizer, low tunnel hoops and of course our famous mushrooms. Come see us.
Wentworth Greenhouse Farmers Market
When: Saturdays, 10:00am until 2:00pm
Where:
We are happy to announce that PHILBRICK’S FRESH MARKET is now carrying our famous MYCOANGELO organic gourmet mushrooms in their produce department. We pick and deliver often so you are assured a fresh, quality product. Now you can access our mushrooms in the Portsmouth area whenever the spirit move you! Other regional outlets to be announced soon.
Coming Soon:
First, Loretta and I are going to start opening our home – Castle Anam Cara – to our gardening customers and friends. It looks like we will start in about two weeks and do it on Sundays. You will be able to buy our gourmet mushrooms, low tunnel hoops, organic vegetables and organic fertilizer along with touring the gardens and learning how we continually strive to reach self sufficiency. You will be able to access Dr. Tomato with any and all questions you have about growing. And, if you sign a liability waiver, you will be able to tour the inside of Castle Anam Cara. I will let you know the details in the next newsletter.
Updated Newsletter:
Starting very soon (hopefully with the next issue) there will be some big, and we think exciting, changes to the newsletter. Even more gardening and growing information PLUS a new section that I think you will LOVE!
LIKE A GREAT POET, NATURE PRODUCES THE GREATEST RESULTS WITH THE SIMPLEST MEANS. THERE ARE SIMPLY A SUN, FLOWERS, WATER, AND LOVE. Heine.
Until next time, I hope all of you enjoy some wonderful time in the garden. Remember to pick some veggies or flowers and share them with a friend or someone in need. And if you have any questions THE DOCTOR IS IN AND THERE IS NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY!
About the Newsletter
The Healthy Home Harvest newsletter is a bi-weekly publication which consists of news, events, how-to and reader submitted questions.
If you have any questions or feedback, please email us at feedback@healthyhomeharvest.com