Archive for the ‘Growing Tips’ Category

The Lycium barbarum variety of Gogi Berry Plants are a perennial in zones 3 to 10, they are actually quite remarkably heat and cold tolerant. Goji plants are also deciduous, which just means that they drop their leaves every year, usually once the first frost hits.

Goji Berry plants are very adaptable, but for the very best results, test your soil, and then adjust the pH to between 6.8 – 8.1. You can add lime to raise the pH if necessary or aluminum sulfate to lower it.

GROW GOJI BERRY PLANTS IN CONTAINERS

Gogi Berry plants can easily be grown in containers on your deck or patio. Goji plant roots like to grow deep, but the plant itself will stop growing once the roots touch the bottom of the container, so they won’t grow as large as the plants grow in the ground. One advantage is that you may very well see goji berries in the first or second season, rather than the third, which is normally the case when they are grown in the ground.

So you’ve received your bare root plants. They will survive for awhile without being planted, but we recommend that you plant them as soon as possible. We also suggest that you get them established inside, in a sunny location, before moving them outside, also to a sunny location. Your Goji plant will appreciate some afternoon shade if you live in a very hot climate (Temps above 100°F).

• Place the bare root plants in a jar or container with room-temperature water and allow them to soak for about 15-minutes.
• Prepare your container. We recommend a container at least as deep as a five-gallon bucket, but it does not have to be wide. Your container or pot should have drainage holes in the bottom (if it doesn’t—make some), so you may also want to provide a drain pan for the container to sit in.
• Mix about 1/3 sand to 2/3 soil in order to provide the best growing medium and drainage, though any good potting soil will work. In hot, dry areas, we recommend Premier Pro-Mix Ultimate Container Mix. Fill the container, leaving 2 to 3-inches at the top.
• Dig a hole in the middle of the container a couple of inches deeper than to the crown of the plant (where the roots meet the stem), pushing loose soil back in until with the roots lightly resting on the soil in the hole, the crown is level with the top of the soil.
• Push the soil back in, filling around the roots and up to the crown, gently tamping as you go.
• Water well and push more soil around the plant if necessary, watering again to let the soil settle.
• You should continue to keep your Goji plant moist, but not overly wet, until you see new growth sprouting, usually in about 2-weeks.
• Apply an inch or two of mulch in order to help with moisture retention (and because it looks nice). If you mulch, you will depend upon touch to check soil moisture, or water into a large reservoir under the planter so it is wicked from the bottom up.

You may see flowers, after which fruit will follow, the first season, depending upon when you plant; but more than likely it will be the second season. Remember that containerized plants will feel the heat and cold more because their roots are in soil above the ground. Be weather-aware, providing adequate moisture when it is extremely hot and dry, as containerized plants will usually dry out quicker and in order to provide protection for your plant if the temperatures become really cold.

GROW GOJI BERRY PLANTS IN THE GROUND

You can grow Goji Berry plants in the ground in any relatively sunny location, as long as you have room for expansion. Adult Goji plants can grow up to 8-feet high and wide, though some gardeners prune their Goji plants to keep them within a desired size range. You can even grow Gogi bushes as a hedge or you can train them to a trellis, in which case, they can get as tall as 10-feet.

To make this really simple and to give your Goji Berry Plant the best start, we recommend that you start it in a container, though you don’t need a 5-gallon size. In fact, you can buy a 4 to 6-inch peat pot and not even have to worry about taking it back out of the pot to transplant it. This will greatly reduce the stress involved with transplanting, further ensuring your Goji plant will thrive. If you are starting it in a container, you just follow steps 1 through 7 above, at which point you can transplant your Goji plant into the ground. Goji plants growing in the ground will sometimes start to produce fruit the second season, but will not go into full production until the third year.

If you are putting it directly into the ground:

• Choose a sunny site if you live anywhere but in the desert southwest, where you will either want to have shade or be able to put up a shade cloth during the hottest part of the day.
• Follow step 1 above, and then prepare your soil, testing and amending it if needed.
• Skip to step 4, and continue through step 8 above, applying mulch immediately, rather than waiting, and carefully monitoring soil moisture. It is critical that it not be allowed to dry out until you see new growth start to sprout, usually in about two weeks.

PRUNING YOUR GOJI BERRY PLANTS

Pruning is normally done in the winter, but they can also be gently trimmed throughout the season to shape the canopy and to improve berry yield.

You will not want to prune them heavily the first year. Identify the largest, healthy shoot, which will be the main trunk. Gradually remove the lower lateral shoots, with the goal in mind of keeping the trunk clear for the first 15-inches, and then when your Goji plant reaches 24-inches , remove the growing tip in order to stimulate the growth of additional side branches.

To prune adult plants, you just remove the branches above the height that you wish to keep. You should maintain clearance from the ground up of about 15-inches. You can also identify any ineffective branches. These usually grow very fast, straight and smooth and will not be very productive, so if they aren’t essential to the overall look, they can simply be removed. Remember that Goji Berry plants grow similar to a weeping willow. If allowed to grow un-pruned you can end up with a mighty ugly plant, though “ugly” is only in the eye of the beholder, and you may thoroughly enjoy this natural look. You should always prune the plant after a heavy berry season as berries are produced on new growth only.

We hope that this has helped you to understand the needs of the Goji Berry Plant. We have not mentioned fertilizer, because it is not absolutely necessary, but every plant will benefit from some type of regular feeding. We recommend Jobe’s continuous-release drip feeders or spikes.

Once the average daytime temperature drops below 50 degrees, your goji plant will start going into dormancy. It will stay dormant until the spring time temps are up above 50 degrees. If you live in an area that does not get that cold, keeping your plant pruned back to new growth is the key to keeping the berries coming.

We wish you great success and good health! Happy Gardening!

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Brussels Sprouts have long gotten a bad rap, being shunned and delegated to the garbage disposal or the compost heap by all but a few of the die-hard sprouts connoisseurs. It can be true that Brussels sprouts that are not grown properly can be loose-leaved, called “blown” by those in-the-know, and as a result have little to no flavor or can be bitter and nowhere close to the flavor of their larger cousins, the cabbage. But, if grown properly, these mini-cabbage heads are firm, chock full of flavor and may even become a family staple, if not a favorite.

When preparing, overcooking is the death of Brussels sprouts. You don’t want to boil away their flavor or turn them to mush, and they are best hot, right out of the oven or pan. There are many exceptional recipes that involve roasting or baking them, sometimes with a bit of olive oil and fine-grained sea salt, or adding your favorite grated cheese; one recipe even uses toasted hazelnuts for crunch! Surf the web to look for an inspiring recipe. They are all simple, with few ingredients and have converted some of the most adamant Brussels sprouts haters.

The first thing that you need to know is that Brussels Sprouts plants grow best when you time their planting for a cool-weather or fall harvest. In fact, in milder climates and where heavy snow cover can act as an insulator, Brussels sprouts can be harvested throughout the winter months. A check with your closest university extension office should be able to tell you if that’s possible in your area. Warm days and frosty nights only enhance the flavor of home-grown Brussels sprouts, which bear absolutely no resemblance to what you’ll find in your grocery store produce aisle. It is really quite amazing to bundle up and go out to the garden in the dead of winter and uncover these green gems, so consider yourself very lucky if you are able to make that happen!

A good rule to growing the best Brussels sprouts is to count back three months from mid to late fall, or the first heavy frost, for planting. Brussels sprouts are also much easier to grow from plants than from seeds; if starting from seed; start them indoors, allowing 10 to 14 days for germination and then once the first two leaves (seed leaves) appear, you’ll want to transplant them to a deeper seed bed or containers, replanting them to a depth of just below the seed leaves and watering in well. Wait until they are strong and tall enough (4 to 6-inches or 4 to 6 weeks) to be transplanted again into their permanent bed. It is important to note that transplanting Brussels sprouts is always necessary for optimal growth to occur. Transplanting encourages the growth of a much stronger root system that funnels essential nutrients to the plant and supports the weight of the plant. (If purchasing our plants, we have already done this part, which eliminates that necessity for you!)

The second most important aspect to growing firm, tasty Brussels sprouts is the texture and quality of your soil. They prefer a “heavy”, firm soil and one that is fertile, so mixing in generous amounts of manure or compost is highly recommended. Expert sprout growers have a mantra they live by—feed the soil, not the plant—which they consider essential to growing yummier Brussels sprouts.  Also, once you’ve dug in your compost or manure, allow time for it to settle in before planting. Remember that sprouts like “firm” soil, so watering the bed and allowing it to settle for a few days is preferable to planting right away. And if you live in an area with hot summers and early falls, your Brussels sprouts will grow better with afternoon shade. If your garden area is in full sun, plant your sprouts where they are protected by the shade of taller plants or trees in the afternoon or where you can put up a shade cloth to protect the tender plants.

Brussels sprouts also prefer a pH of 6.5 to 7.0, which is considered neutral. A simple, inexpensive soil tester can quickly give you the results and we have both Espoma’s Organic Traditions Garden Lime (to raise the pH) or High Yield Aluminum Sulfate (to decrease your soil pH). Organic mulch can also raise the pH and sulfur will do just the opposite, but both of those will take more time than the lime or aluminum sulfate, which adjust the pH rather swiftly.

Once you have properly prepared the bed, you can either rake very lightly and sow your seeds about 1/2-inch deep and 6-inches apart or transplant your ready seedlings about 24-inches apart. Remember to firm the soil around the plants and if you hoe to keep down the weeds, don’t hoe too deeply. In fact, if you regularly mound a bit of the soil up around the stalk and firm it down, you will ensure the best support as the Brussels sprouts grow taller.

Summer heat can stunt Brussels sprouts growth and cause bitter flavor, so to keep the plants growing vigorously during the heat of the summer, give them a feeding of nitrogen-rich fertilizer when they are about 12-inches tall and water regularly. In fact, your whole garden will reap the benefits of a shot of nitrogen when the plants are about 12-inches tall, and not just when the summer heat is adding its stress. If you are faced with a “hotter than usual” late summer or fall, you can ‘top’ your Brussels sprouts plants, which simply means removing the growing point, as a way to force the sprouts to mature faster, enabling you to harvest while the heads are still firm and sweet. Supplemental feeding with Neptune’s Harvest or Jungle Flora soil conditioners is an easy way to further enhance your garden’s growth and production and to ensure a flavorful harvest.

There you have it! It sounds like a lot of work, and the first year or two may be a time for learning what works best in your area, but as you become more experienced, it won’t seem like work at all—and the reward of firm, moist, tasty Brussels sprouts is well-worth the little bit of additional effort that you put into it. Trust me!

To learn how to harvest what you’ve grown, refer to our blog on How to Harvest Brussels Sprouts.

Happy Gardening!

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One of the prettiest ways to decorate a shaded garden or patio has always been with the tenacious Impatiens. Certainly, after a season they start to get leggy and decidedly less attractive. However, in the time when they’re at their finest, they bloom bright and pretty and are quite colorful.

But several years ago, annual Sunpatiens were developed from Impatiens by Sakata to thrive in the hottest summer weather and have grown in popularity. In fact, healthy and properly watered Sunpatiens will thrive in temps into the 90s. They have a generous bloom period and flower from spring until the first frosts in fall. Their heat tolerance and their brilliant colors do much to substantiate their popularity.

Categories of Sunpatiens

Sunpatiens are available in three growth categories. Each of the three are hardy and flower generously. They will also thrive in partial shade.

Vigorous Sunpatiens: This is also referred to as the “tall” series. Flowers come in coral, lavender, pink, magenta, orange, red and white with deep green leaves, with the exception of the coral, which has variegated foliage. This line can grow three to four feet tall and wide. Experts suggest they be planted in the middle or back of the border and this plant is terrific for filling in larger landscape beds.

Compact Sunpatiens: Choose these for flowering combination containers. They need little/infrequent pruning and the plants are tight-branched. Planted in the ground, these grow two to three feet tall and wide, and when they’re planted in containers, they grow from 18 to 24 inches tall. The flowers bloom in blush pink, deep rose, coral, white, lilac, orange and magenta, all with dark green leaves.

Spreading Sunpatiens: These are available in white and salmon and both have green with gold-centered leaves, variegated. The foliage of these is quite lovely, a buttery yellow with bright green edges. “Spreading” Sunpatiens are designed for containers. They grow two to three feet tall and wide. Experts recommend them as an ideal “spiller” plant for hanging baskets or solo in a large container.

Sunpatiens: How To

Know your local region, but in general, it’s recommended to plant the Sunpatiens in your garden in the late spring. The goal is for a well-established root system. It will increase the Sunpatiens’ tolerance to the high temps of the summer sun. Choose an area with as much light as possible.

If you are planting in containers, make sure you choose quality potting soil and, if you do choose containers, it is preferable to place seeds directly in the container (as opposed to replanting later). For planting in the ground, be certain to have good, loosened soil. If the ground you’re planting in is high clay soil, it must be amended with good quality compost to increase drainage. When setting the plants out (be sure the plants are set adequately spaced), take some slow-release fertilizer and sprinkle the equivalent of two tablespoons around each. For the first 10 days to 10 weeks, crop temperature should be 68 to 70 degrees. Keep humidity below 70 percent to avoid mold.

Water the Sunpatiens well (this is important), and use a 20-10-20 or 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer as recommended on container.

If they are grown in partial shade, they may grow unruly, but they are easily trimmed to maintain a bushy habit. They are not without natural enemies: be wary of aphids, caterpillars, fungus, gnats and thrips. In the wrong conditions, they can also be susceptible to bacterial leaf spotting virus, botrytis rot and stem rot.

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The above title has a double reference:  pea plants are both cool to grow, and they prefer cool weather.  Plant peas in the early spring and again in time for a 2nd harvest before fall frost sets in. You can extend your harvest by planting heat-tolerant varieties in between.

Pea plants produce a few different types of peas.  The traditional English pea is shelled from a relatively tough, strong, inedible shell.  With Asian snow peas or sugar snap peas, the peas inside are smaller and the shells are tender and meant to be consumed. Either of the edible shell variety are delicious raw, or they can be cooked by any method used for snap green beans.  Shelled English peas are commonly cooked—but raw, they’re a healthy, crispy snack, as well.

If you like the flavor of peas, you might not know that parts of the pea plants themselves are edible, too! The tops, or pea tips, including the vine ends, leaves and tendrils, are delicious and have a similar flavor to peas. They’re excellent in soups and stir-fries.  Many Asian cooks consider pea tips a delicacy.

Growing peas is simple, if you learn a few basics about the nature of pea plants. They need very little maintenance if given the proper support, like a garden trellis netting, since they’re vining plants.  Choose a variety or varieties that will make the most efficient use of your growing space, since pea plants are available in both dwarf (short) and tall-growing habits.

They grow best in a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Make sure the roots of pea plants don’t get saturated by choosing well-draining soil, as root rot is a common problem for peas. Fertilize per the instructions for your particular types of peas, which usually means work a good natural fertilizer into the soil before planting time, then broadcast as pods are maturing.

Sow peas about an inch under the soil and two inches apart in rows, and plant each week or two, to have staggered production and the longest harvest season.  Although the newly planted pea seeds can tolerate frost, the growing plants cannot, so make sure to time “days to harvest” forward or backward for your particular varieties, depending on the season when you’re planting, to provide the pea plants the most possible cool-temperature days without frost.

As with all garden produce, it’s best to rotate your pea plants each year, meaning alternate where you plant them.

When it’s time to pick your pea pods, simply snap them right off of the vine.  Then, the peas can be shelled and eaten fresh, or frozen, canned or dried for later consumption.  The edible pod varieties are best eaten fresh, to capture their crisp textures and bright flavors. And don’t forget to remove the pea plant stems and vines from your garden at the end of the season.

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If you haven’t grown green beans, you’ve missed out on one of a garden’s best bets.  If you have grown them, maybe next spring is the time to try a few new varieties. Green beans, also referred to as string or snap or wax beans, are hearty producers, are resistant to most plant diseases and pests, and the entire edible bean pods are incredibly easy to cook or preserve for winter feasts.

Green bean plants grow in either pole or bush formation, and those descriptions aren’t just about the plant shape.  Pole plants produce beans throughout the growing season on a vine that continues reaching taller, and bush beans grow on a compact plant but the beans mature all at once. For those who plan to can their green beans, bush varieties are the most convenient.

Pole varieties, like Stringless Blue Lake S-7 will produce ample deep green beans throughout the summer up until frost, on 6- to 8-foot-tall plants.  They’ll need a tall teepee, stake or trellis-type support to provide the best harvest.  Pick ripe beans often to keep the plant producing throughout the season.

The Top Crop and Jade Green varieties are bush plants that grow to 24 inches tall. Both are popular for freezing and canning.

With varied size, taste and texture qualities among different varieties of green beans, you can choose your plants based on your desired preparation or storage, and the flavor you seek.  String beans are best harvested at their mature length, but just before the seeds inside can be felt through the pod.

When it’s time to harvest your beans, they should break off the vine without needing to be cut off.  Holding the entire green bean in your hand, give it a gentle tug in the opposite direction of its growth.  It should easily snap right off the plant.  It’s best to pick beans on dry days, to avoid mold formation on the pods. Beans can be stored unwashed in a plastic container or bag in the refrigerator for up to five days. Watch our video on how to pick green beans.

Pickled green beans hold their crisp texture and they can be preserved in a variety of seasonings that meld well with their mild flavor.  String beans also are great candidates for traditional canning methods, such as those explained in the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. Again, their flavor pairs well with salty, spicy, acidic or sweet canning ingredients.

For freezing fresh-picked green beans, blanch them in boiling water, then rinse in cold water, dry them and immediately package in freezer containers to preserve their bright color and to prevent freezer burn.

Fresh-cooked green beans can be eaten completely plain or with a light coating of butter, but more adventurous cooks like to add more interesting flavors and textures like almond slivers, sesame oil and black sesame seeds, garlic, vinegar, or tomato sauces.  Any way you prepare them, green beans are packed with great nutrients, making them a guilt-free pleasure.

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Physocarpus is a shrub commonly referred to as Ninebark.  It’s a perennial plant that grows in most regions of the United States.  It blooms in the late spring to early summer and is a popular plant for sunny locations, with its bright red hues.  But this isn’t about the well-known varieties of Physocarpus: 

There is a new kid on the block.  Coppertina Physocarpus, or Copper Ninebark, is the most dramatic plant you’ll ever see.  It’s got coppery red leaves that deepen in the fall to shades of crimson that will have your neighbors and guests doing a double-take. 

This full-sun shrub will attract songbirds, butterflies and hummers with its delicate white to light pink flowers offset by its deep, fiery orange-red foliage.

Coppertina Physocarpus will grow up to 4 feet wide by 6 feet tall, so plant it where it has space to spread out, or plan to prune in the spring to maintain desired size.  It requires average moisture and is adaptable to most soil types.  This is a suitable shrub for xeriscaping.

This large, full-foliaged shrub will be the envy of anyone who sees it in its spectacular summer and fall colors. Plant Coppertina Physocarpus alone for a focal point in your front yard, or use as a backdrop to highlight smaller contrasting foliage or blooming plants with dark green or purple hues, or even bright white, yellow or orange flowers. Plant it in rows to make a gorgeous and unique property border. 

This versatile shrub can be shaped into a light and airy or compact and dense habit, or it can be pruned into a top-heavy tree form.  It can also be grown in a container as a solo plant or as the tall center feature with smaller plants around the outside.

This new Physocarpus Coppertina variety is a Proven Winners® Color Choice® selection for good reason:  it’s dramatic, it’s versatile, it’s low maintenance, and it’s affordable. If you’ve been considering adding some vibrant red color to your landscape, this is one sure way to brighten and modernize your design.

Coppertina Physocarpus is a deciduous shrub, meaning that it drops its leaves in the late fall.  It’s drought resistant and hardy, although it will need consistent moisture until it’s established. It grows in Zones 3-8 and in acid or alkaline soil. It’s really the ideal plant for tough, full-sun spots in your landscape, when you want something eye-catching that doesn’t require pampering.

The vivid coppery colors in these leaves will add striking beauty to your yard or garden, and the flowers can be clipped to bring indoors for cut-flower vase arrangements. Just make sure not to trim the plant late in the season, as that’s when it sets its next season’s blooms. If you haven’t seen Coppertina before, be prepared, because you’re going to want one!

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The tropical and exotic flowers of the hibiscus plant are adored by plant lovers everywhere.  And experienced growers of this colorful bloomer know that it’s superb for container growing, for many reasons.

Since hibiscus has been hybridized, there are now several growth habits to choose from, as well as varied leaf types, and colors and bloom sizes of flowers. Choosing the type of hibiscus to grow should start with selecting the space where you intend to keep the plant.  It requires a minimum of six hours a day of full sunlight. If you live in a climate with freezing winter temperatures, you’ll need to bring your hibiscus indoors to overwinter.  Therefore, keep that in mind when thinking about the type of container for your outdoor—and indoor—space.

Next, determine the growth habit you prefer for your container-grown hibiscus.  There are hibiscus plants that are best suited to hanging planter pots, like the High Definition Cajun Hibiscus. It has a weeping habit and giant 9- to 10-inch blooms.  A variety with a semi-upright growth habit like Bridal Party also does well in a container that allows it to drape over the sides. Cosmic Dancer has a full upright growth habit and will require a taller growing space. Your container selection might also depend on how frequently you plan to move the plant, if weight is a consideration.

After you’ve chosen the plant type, select a container that will be approximately as deep as it is wide.  Hibiscus prefer to be slightly root-bound, and they’ll send small feeder roots out horizontally to fill whatever space they’re allotted, as well as sending down the main support root vertically. This is a plant that requires proper drainage and some coarse sand mixed in the soil will allow the aeration the roots need.  A container that doesn’t breathe too much, like cement or glazed ceramic, is preferred, since hibiscus are relatively heavy water consumers, and wood or terra cotta won’t hold in the necessary moisture, especially in dry or very hot climates. Otherwise, a standard potting mix and fertilizer regimen should be used.

Hibiscus leaves vary widely among different varieties, from small and simple to large and ornate, and there are plenty of leaf color choices.  In tropical climates, the plants produce blooms nearly year-round, but they go dormant in four-season climates when brought indoors for the winter. During the dormant months, you’ll want a plant that is attractive even without flowers.

Bloom type and color are the main selection criteria for most hibiscus lovers.  Blooms can be single, double, flat or frilly, and the range of colors is pretty much endless!

Provide ample water and sunshine to get the best looking and healthiest container-grown hibiscus.  A well-maintained plant should live and provide abundant blooms for many years.

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Of all the flowers known for being at home in containers, one of the most popular is the geranium.  Since these plants are profuse bloomers and they have a neat, compact growing habit, they are perfect as potted beauties, in addition to being a lush color burst in any landscape bed or walkway. 

Geranium plants prefer a day of full sun, but they will thrive indoors in a bright window as well as outdoors.  So, choose your planter box, pot or other container (making sure it has proper drainage to prevent soil rot at the bottom), fill it with rich potting soil, add your favorite geranium, provide it plenty of sunlight, and then prepare to be dazzled. 

You can enhance the container-potted geranium with accents like tall, spikey Dracaena in the center of the planting, or asparagus fern or other trailing plants like Sweet Potato or Vinca Vine around the outer edges of the pot.  Since Geraniums flower continually and abundantly throughout the warm season, they do best with only foliage accents and not competing flowers in the same pot.

Regal Geraniums are available in a palette of rich, deep colors, including Velvet Red, Maroon, Burgundy, Black (which is really an intense, dark red), Double-hued Pink, and Clarina, a two-toned violet-colored flower.  They also are available in delicate pinks and lilacs.

Ivy Geraniums come in a rich dark burgundy appropriately named Merlot, Ruby Red and Salmon Rose.  Stars & Stripes Ivy Geranium and Sangria Ivy Geranium are bi-color, semi-double flowers.  All have a mounding habit and look neat and lush in a large pot.

Some geraniums are beloved for their foliage as much as their flowers.  There are varieties featuring scented greenery, with fragrances as interesting as Chocolate Mint, Citronella, Ginger and Cedar-Eucalyptus.  Some specialty varieties have brilliantly colored leaves, with hues ranging from yellow-lime to rich glossy emerald, and variegated with contrasting shades of cream, white, rust, gold or rings of red.

As a container plant, the geranium will thrive as a perennial, if allowed to winter indoors in a sunny window.  It will undergo a mild period of dormancy but can even flower in the off season, if conditions are right.  Whether indoors or out, make sure to turn your container occasionally so all sides get equal sun exposure, to allow the plant to grow symmetrically.

The biggest advantage of potting your geraniums is that you can continue to enjoy them indoors, long after the first frost has zapped the rest of your annual flowers.

The other obvious advantage is that you can surround yourself with color where you don’t have landscape beds available, like on porches, decks or patios.

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There is nothing quite like a fresh, juicy tomato right out of your own garden. Tomatoes are the most widely grown among the home-gardener. In fact, when gardeners don’t grow any other kind of vegetable, they will grow tomatoes in garden plots and in pots on patios. This is also usually the first vegetable plant that a novice will grow. It will help to know what the most common problems are and what the solutions will be, in advance, so that you can be properly prepared.

1. Blossom-End Rot—Often called End Rot, Tomato End Rot or BER is probably the most common tomato problem for home gardeners. It appears as a leathery, brownish area that is indented on the blossom end of the tomato. It can be anywhere from the size of a dime to about the size of a half dollar. Fluctuations in moisture levels combined with a calcium deficiency will usually result in BER. Providing consistent moisture to your tomato plants and mulching to maintain moisture levels will help, as will insuring that you have the proper amount of calcium for all of your garden plants. Nutri-Cal® is our supplement of choice.
2. Tomato Skins Splitting or Cracking—This, though an unsightly problem, is not a problem that will prevent the fruit from being eaten. Cracking or splitting usually occurs because of sudden accelerated growth that can come about due to a sudden increase in moisture after a dry period. It can also occur when the fruit is overripe. Providing consistent moisture and planting hybrid varieties that are less prone to cracking may solve the problem. Cherry tomatoes are the most prolific sufferers of cracking. Picking them when they are ripe or almost ripe, just before a predicted rain storm, will often prevent these from cracking.
3. Tomato Hornworm—If you start to see chewed up leaves and fruits that are still unripe but damaged, start scouring your plants for tomato hornworms. Amazingly able to blend in to your tomato plants, once you see one you will wonder how in the world you ever missed seeing it to begin with. They are HUGE and one of the ugliest, grayish-greenish wormy looking things you’ll ever see. There are a few companion plants you can plant to discourage hornworms. You can plant marigolds, dill, or opal basil. You can also do things that will invite birds to your garden, such as putting out bird feeders and bird baths or providing bird houses. Ladybugs, wasps and lacewings will eat the hornworm eggs and some people have found that using a hot pepper spray is really effective. But, to begin with, you’ll have to pick those darn things off your tomato plants.
4. Yellow Leaves—If the leaves are uncurled and yellowing at the bottom of the plant, this may actually just be a sign of the plant starting to die off at the end of the season; but if this occurs while your plant is still actively blooming or early in the season, you most likely have a nitrogen deficiency. This can also be an early sign of other problems like a pest, a fungus or a bacterium, but your first step should be to use a soil tester to determine if it is a nitrogen deficiency and then use a nitrogen-rich supplement in order to increase the amount of nitrogen. Proper soil preparation prior to planting, with good organic material or compost, would also have prevented this condition.
5. Late Blight—This blight develops as water-soaked patches that turn brown and appear dry and papery. The fungus is normally present when the weather is very wet and the spores can travel long distances, infecting very large areas. Preventing Late Blight is possible by rotating your crops annually and by maintaining good air circulation around your plants. If you think that you have Late Blight, remove all the diseased stems, leaves and fruit and throw them away. You shouldn’t put them in the compost pile. In fact, if your plants are severely infected, you may have to dispose of all of your plants. If you think your plants are salvageable, you might try Bonide Copper Dust.
6. Early Blight—This is a fungus that survives the winter on old vines and then rears its ugly head on your new plants. The best solution is to clean up old vines when the season ends, rotate your planting areas and space the plants according to recommendations in order to allow for good air circulation. You will know its Early Blight when you see blackish-brownish spots on tomato leaves, the leaves start to drop off or you have “sunburned” fruit. If caught early, you can use Bonide Copper Dust, which can be used as either a dust or a spray and is an organic solution to Early Blight and many other diseases that has been used for more than 150 years.
7. Flowers Form But Drop Before Fruiting—This normally happens when the weather is going through changes that are not common for your area. If nighttime temperatures drop below 55°F or if daytime temps are higher than 95°F with nighttime temperatures that don’t drop below 75°F, you may have a much larger occurrence of blossom drop. If the plant is not blooming during these periods, you have nothing to worry about. Mulch can help to keep the moisture level in your garden adequate for the plants. If the hot temps are occurring at the same time as hot, drying winds, mulching can be really important. Garden Harvest Supply staffers use Bonide Tomato Blossom Set on their own tomato plants. This organic growth hormone not only allows the blossoms to withstand these weather extremes but will increase the yield and quality of your tomato plants.
8. Shiny, Sticky & Deformed Leaves—This condition can be the result of aphids, whiteflies or spider mites. Aphids are the most common. They suck the plant sap and excrete a sticky substance on the leaves and fruit. They tend to congregate either on the top growth or the undersides of the leaves and are small, dark, pear-shaped insects. Spider mites will cause bunches of small yellow specks and spin fine webs on the leaves, making them feel sticky. Whiteflies, on the other hand, will actually fly when you brush the plant. If you shake the plant, they may look like dust. So, how do you deal with them? Keeping your tomato plants well-weeded will help, to some degree. But to obliterate them and keep them totally under control, use Safer® Insecticidal Soap.
9. Fusarium and Verticillium Wilt—Both of these are caused by an incurable fungal infection. Once a plant has either one, you should dispose of the plant immediately, in the garbage; do not add to the compost pile. You will recognize Fusarium Wilt when the leaves on one branch of the infected plant start wilting and then turning yellow. Verticillium Wilt is noticeable as yellowing starts appearing between the major veins on already mature leaves. The only way to avoid either of these is to select a hybrid variety that is resistant to wilt or to buy your plants from a very reputable grower like Garden Harvest Supply. Almost without fail, these two types of wilt will occur in plants from a large retailer that doesn’t specialize in gardening. Garden Harvest Supply grows all of their own plants and adheres to strict organic guidelines. All of our seeds are “certified organic”, which means they are grown by “certified” growers all over the nation—the best of the best. If you experience either of these problems, we want to know.
10. Nematodes—This insect is virtually invisible. They live under the soil and cause the root of the plant to swell. The only sign will be stunted plants and discolored leaves. These microscopic eelworms are soil-born, so there is no “cure” for them. Fortunately, your tomato plants will still bear edible fruit, but once you;ve discovered the culprit, you will have to wait until next year to address the problem. One of the most common fixes is to simply plant marigolds with your tomatoes. They look pretty and killing Nematodes is not the only beneficial reason to plant marigolds. You might try “Nema-gone”, “Golden Guardian” or “Tangerine”. These varieties, among others, release a chemical into the soil that kills Nematodes. There are also many plants that you can “companion” plant that will “help” the tomato plant. Check out this fantastic book from our library. 

I’ve grown tomatoes and had none of these problems on a good year and multiple problems on a bad year. I’ve learned that soil quality and paying a bit of daily attention to my tomato plants will yield the best crop. Here’s wishing you many beautiful and yummy tomatoes!

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Blossom-End Rot, a.k.a. BER, is not a disease, but the result of a calcium deficiency that is usually caused by inconsistent watering. Both drought conditions and over-watering from irrigation, heavy rains or even high humidity levels can cause your tomato plants to suffer from a calcium deficiency and BER. It is also thought that highly acidic soils contribute to this condition and any damage to the roots caused by severe root pruning or improper transplanting can also have the same results, so handle those roots carefully.

Blossom-End Rot can be recognized by a leathery, brown rot developing on or near the blossom end of the tomato. Normally starting with a brown lesion about the size of a dime, it will increase in size as the condition gets worse. Over time those lesions may become covered with a black mold. BER not only affects the quality of the fruit, but can affect the quantity as well.

There are some fairly simple steps that you can take to reduce the possibility of Blossom-End Rot:

• Make sure to provide adequate water. While putting on fruit, tomatoes need about 1.5 inches of water a week. You may need to increase this during very hot times, watering in the early morning to prevent leaf burn. You may also have to decrease water during periods of heavy rain. If you are not sure how much water your tomatoes are getting, place a coffee can or other similar sized container near your tomato plants but unobstructed. You can then measure the amount of water mid-week and adjust accordingly. A more precise means of measurement is a strategically-placed rain gauge.
• Using mulch will conserve moisture. You can use newspapers, straw or rubber mulches.
• Tomatoes grow best and the incidents of BER are reduced when you keep the soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5. A soil tester is one of the best tools a gardener can have in his or her arsenal. The lower end of the pH scale represents more acidic soil while the higher end of the scale is indicative of more alkaline soil. 7.0 is the neutral point. You can decrease the pH by adding sulfur, which is approved for organic gardening, or by adding compost or other organic matter, which takes longer but builds soil quality as well as reducing the need for additional fertilizers. Soil, over time, will revert back to its natural state, so periodic soil testing is a good idea. Organic limestone is the most common additive to raise the pH in your soil. Some lime may require adding prior to planting, so read those package directions carefully. Wood ash is also effective, but it breaks down quickly which can result in over-application, which can be devastating to your soil.
• Apply fertilizers or essential nutrients properly and with care. Over fertilizing can bring on BER. Soil testing is the only fool-proof way to insure proper fertilization.

If your tomato plants develop Blossom-End Rot, you can treat them by spraying them with a calcium solution at the rate of 4 level tablespoons per 1 gallon of water. You can use either calcium chloride or calcium nitrate, but be aware that when temperatures are higher than 85°F calcium chloride can burn your plants. You should spray 2-3 times per week, starting as the second fruit clusters are blooming.

It is also true that some varieties of tomatoes are more susceptible than others. It might be to your benefit to grow a number of varieties, making notes on which tomato plants perform best and have the fewest incidents of BER and other issues. When making notes, also note the weather conditions, as these can also affect how your garden grows. Taking this simple step will insure that you grow the best varieties for your soil and for your climate, insuring a most bountiful harvest.

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