THE EDMONSON VOICE
  • Home
  • News
  • Community
    • VOICE Calendar >
      • About VOICE Calendar
    • County Schools Calendar
  • Obits
  • Sports
    • WildcatsLive/Schedules
    • Recorded Game Videos
  • Weather
  • Features
    • Recipe Of The Week
    • Opinion
    • Ask Mongoose
    • Arts/Entertainment
    • Legal/Professional Policy
    • Our Staff
    • Contest Rules
    • Our Sponsors
  • FAQs
Picture
Picture
Picture
Edmonson County's Number One Source For Local News and Information

Homegrown Notions: Tomatoes - Blight & Blossom End Rot

6/4/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
by Beth Cook, Mammoth Cave Transplants

The vegetable gardening season is well under way and tomatoes are easily one of the most popular plants grown by home gardeners. Growing tomatoes can be a challenge, but being knowledgeable in common diseases of tomatoes can help you be successful. Two of the most common problems, which is a major threat to tomatoes, is blight and blossom end rot. Identifying these problems early and learning how to prevent and treat these will greatly improve your crop.

Blight is a common fungal disease that attacks a plant’s foliage, stems, and even fruit.  Moderate temperatures, frequent rainfall, and heavy morning dew, make favorable conditions for blight to develop. You should routinely scrutinize your garden for symptoms of blight, which include dark lesions on the stems and brown spots on leaves, accompanied by fuzzy white fungal growth during humid weather. To be sure, take a sample to your local extension office for testing. If the growing season is wet, and late blight is present, fungicides will be necessary to protect your plants from infection. We do carry fungicides to help prevent and control an outbreak of blight. Daconil is one fungicide that is commonly used. Tomatoes and potatoes are susceptible to blight at any time during the growing season. 

Another common problem that gardeners encounter when growing tomatoes is blossom end rot. This problem is not caused by a disease organism, but is rather a physiological disorder that results when there is an inadequate supply of calcium available to the developing fruit. Over fertilizing, can sometimes cause problems with the uptake of calcium to the plant. Initial symptoms of blossom end rot generally appear as water-soaked areas on the blossom end of the fruit. Over time the damage becomes a sunken, dark-colored rot. Prior to planting, the main preventative measure is to have a soil test done to determine if adequate calcium is present in the soil. Limestone (a source of calcium) should only be applied if soil test results recommend it. When a need for limestone is indicated, best results are achieved when the limestone is worked into the soil 2 to 3 months prior to planting. Most of us already have planted our gardens, but this can be done this fall to prepare for next year’s garden. Using a fertilizer low in nitrogen can also help in prevention.  Also, be sure you plant your tomatoes in well-drained soil to aid in prevention.

Be sure to keep a close eye on your crop throughout the growing season. Early detection of diseases is crucial to having a successful garden and yummy tomatoes! Happy Gardening from Mammoth Cave Transplants!

~~Gardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoes ~Author Unknown~

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    COMMENTING/LEGAL
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
HOME
NEWS 
COMMUNITY


OBITS
FEATURES
WEATHER
​​
WILDCATS LIVE
​
SPORTS
CONTACT
copyright 2014-2023 The Edmonson Voice.
Call or text: 270-597-6550 ​editor@edmonsonvoice.com
PO BOX 94
BROWNSVILLE, KY 42210
CLICK HERE FOR DEADLINE INFO
  • Home
  • News
  • Community
    • VOICE Calendar >
      • About VOICE Calendar
    • County Schools Calendar
  • Obits
  • Sports
    • WildcatsLive/Schedules
    • Recorded Game Videos
  • Weather
  • Features
    • Recipe Of The Week
    • Opinion
    • Ask Mongoose
    • Arts/Entertainment
    • Legal/Professional Policy
    • Our Staff
    • Contest Rules
    • Our Sponsors
  • FAQs