16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

I have a few options for you.

1) Companion plantings: Try planting Marigolds, basil, onions. They produces a pungent odor that keeps many pests away.

2) Sprinkle Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth around the base of each plant. It also adds many beneficial trace elements to the ground. It's real cheap at the box stores.

3) insecticidal soap.

Try any or all of these and good luck.

My father gets them bad. One will destroy a plant in 12 hours. The only good way to get rid of them is to find them an kill them.

Just cove one cluster when starts blooming until fruits are set. But tag that cluster and get seeds from the fruits of that cluster.

Nylon tulle( finest mesh, sold at all fabric stores will do. I use it also for insect deterent.

Thanks for the advice. I have never saved seed before from a tomato so even after reading all the FAQs and past threads was nervous about it. I will bag just a cluster of blossoms before they open. The part that is so fun for me is trying a tomato I have never had before!

Jennie

When I harden off, I generally do it over 2 weeks. I sit them out on my front porch which is shaded for 2 days before I even start to give them full sun. I leave them out overnight during this whole time (unless it got too cold). Then, it is limited to an hour the first day and gradually lengthen.

I think they were still too sensitive to the elements. Wind can really play havoc on tender plants.

edweather-
the containers shown aren't the final destination. They were my last pots used before putting them into my raised garden bed. I start with jiffy pucks, then move them into 5 inch pots, then into 9 inch pots, then transplant into the garden when ready. I do use pro-mix in the containers which is a soil free mix.

tripleione- yes, they were showing stress during the hardening process, which makes me think they just weren't ready for the outdoors yet. live and learn i guess.

Thanks for all your help.

So I inspected the underside of an affected leaf and there is a fine white spider web like substance with dark specks?

Then you most likely have spider mites in addition to the Early Blight. The webbing indicates the mites although the adults are usually reddish orange, the nymphs are a dark brown-black. See pics linked below.

There are several sprays available for controlling spider mites but effectiveness is debatable. If only one plant and only a few affected leaves then hand squishing and affected leaf removal is as good a control as anything. With a bad infestation then buying ladybugs helps or you can use insecticidal soap or insecticidal oil or neem,

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Spider mite pics

That is a baby yet compared to what it will be by mid-summer.

You chose a variety that is normally a giant plant and are using a support system and container that will have difficulty supporting it. By nature it isn't a container variety no matter how big the container. Pays to know the nature of the variety before hand. :)

So while pruning it would normally NOT be recommended and trimming it will cost you fruit production and stress the plant, given the growing conditions you have for it you probably won't have a choice but to prune its top growth. Just don't do more than is absolutely necessary and don't try to do it all at one time.

Dave

Thanks for the responses.

im a newbie and i'm just proud that i havent killed it yet.

All you want is a arguement with a question like yours. Flavor is subjective. So you'll never get the answer you're looking for.

Just for future reference when it comes to varieties Mr. Stripey is a seldom recommended variety while Cherokee Purple always gets very high reviews.

Since you are buying transplants and it is already late for zone 7 planting you may find them well picked over already and the only choices left for you are the commonly grown hybrids like Better Boy, Celebrity, Bradley, etc. Personally I'd stick with the Better Boy of those 3 although Bradley is ok too. If you can find one of the Brandywine or some Arkansas Travelers (both heirlooms) grab those.

Since you will be planting late fruit set will be delayed on most of them as the hot weather will be coming on soon. But keep them well fed and well watered and hopefully we will get some cooler days that will allow for fruit set.

Dave

I have grown several varieties of yellow cherries and they all tended to split when picked ripe. I think it is just how they are. Eat 'em quick.....

Try Sun Sugar. It's a very similar variety with less tendency to split.

3rd pic

Get rid of any BER tomatoes asap! That problem will usually resolve itself as the season progresses. For the leaf issue, if they were mine I would begin spraying with my fungicide of choice. Just curious. what is the reason for the black plastic mulch?

Planting deep is good advice for long season areas so long as the soil temp at planting depth is above 60 degrees. The root system will develop deeper which contributes to more fruit production. Do not plant deep any time the soil temperature is below 60 degrees. This applies to early season plantings in southern climates and most plantings in northern climates. The low temperature is equivalent to putting your feet in an ice water bath for the plant.

When you are dealing with cold soil temperatures, mound the soil up 6 to 8 inches high, then cover it with black plastic. Set a plant into the top of the mound through the plastic, putting it about half the length of the stem into the soil. As temperatures rise, remove the plastic and mound soil up around the plant until another 4 to 6 inches has been added to the mound. The black plastic will absorb heat and transfer it to the soil mound. The mound will warm up faster when the sun shines and cool down slower during rain.

DarJones

I half remembered this deep planting advice from my father in law about 30 years ago. So this year I planted deep but forgot to remove the bottom set of leaves. Seriously. Remembered after a few days but decided it would be worse to dig them back up. Luckily no ill effects. They are all off and running and doing well about a month later.
This is the first veggie garden I have had in about 20 years so I have been reading GW like mad.

I also have 3 stems coming out of the main stem about 2 inches from the ground and the leaves on them are turning yellow they have holes and shriveled and those leaves at the end of them stems lay on the ground

This post was edited by John_JJ on Tue, Jun 4, 13 at 21:05

the leaves on them are turning yellow they have holes and shriveled and the tips of them touch the ground

Those I would remove. Nothing is gained by leaving discolored or damaged leaves on the plant. Most of us remove the lower branches that touch/drag the ground. Some will remove any up to just below the first bloom cluster.

Dave

Neem oil worked for me last year. I had tons of them. Spray every square inch of the plant.

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. I will try to first flush it off with a gentle jet of water ... then if they persist try the hand method... then the soap water ... then the garlic ... then the neem :)

Didnt know this was so common on the forum. Thanks so much !
G