“Tomato Problems”
I think it’s safe to say that if there was one vegetable that you would find in the majority of backyard gardens throughout Georgia it would be the tomato. And following that statement, I think it’s safe to say that it is the number one vegetable UGA Extension Agents get the majority of questions about. From my personal gardening experience, I just can’t seem to grow that perfect tomato and I think most of you can relate to what I’m talking about. If it’s not a disease, it’s a bug. If it’s not a bug, it’s this or that. So, in this week’s article we are going to review a few reasons why we are unsuccessful with tomatoes, and hopefully give us all some insight on how to achieve that perfect tomato that we all enjoy. The following reasons that are mentioned in this week’s article are from Bob Westerfield who is an extension horticulturist at the University of Georgia.
- Planting Too Early. Try to avoid the urge to plant when we have a few warm days in February or March. And Lowe’s and Home Depot usually will have plants set out too early to temp you. Tomatoes and a lot of other plants need to be planted based on soil temperature. Wait to plant tomatoes when soil temperatures are at a steady 60 to 65 F.
- Wrong Soil pH. I know that you’ve heard it before and I’ll say it again. Soil pH is one of the most important issues for growing plants successfully. Why, you ask? Because soil pH directly affects how well tomato plants absorb nutrients from the soil. That’s why we ask you to get a soil test before you plant so we can correct any issues prior to planting. Tomatoes grow best in a soil pH between 6.2 and 6.8.
- Too Much Nitrogen. I think we all tend to over fertilize and too much fertilizer can be damaging to your tomato plants. Over fertilizing can result in a tall, bushy tomato plant with no blooms. Fertilize your tomatoes at planting and don’t fertilize until the plants have small baby tomatoes.
- Improper Support Of The Vine. When you purchase your tomato plants go ahead and buy a support cage too. Tomatoes tend to grow very large and have vines growing in every direction. Without support, the extra weight of the tomatoes can break the vines and cause problems.
- Improper Watering. Supplying your tomato plants with sufficient water is vital to a successful crop. But, this can be tricky because too much or too little water can be damaging to the plant. Avoid getting a lot of water on the leaves since this can lead to disease. Hand watering at the base of the plant is usually best. Depending on what type of soil you have and how much rainfall you have received, you may need to water two to four times a week.
- Weed Competition. It is very important to win the battle with weeds in the garden. They are in competition with your tomato plants and can greatly reduce your yield. You can control weeds by using landscape fabric, labeled herbicides, or mulch.
Source: uga.edu