What did I do to the tomato plants this year? My two cherry tomato varieties are over six feet tall and loaded with fruit. Numerous branches were completely removed as they total covered the neighboring pepper plants several feet away. Several of my regular tomato plants are just as big.
You may be noticing some leaf issues with your tomato plants. It’s that time of year! Any leaves that are yellowed will not be green again. Any leaves with spots will not lose them someday. The best thing is to remove them with a pruners or scissors which should be sanitized afterwards. When removing these leaves, be careful not to touch any healthy leaves and be the spreader.
You know by now I never recommend composting your vegetable garden plants, so be sure to dispose of them at the city compost. At city compost sites, piles should be turned more regularly and create the heat needed to destroy insect eggs and spores.
Using a fungicide spray is a good idea early in the season and many are organic chemicals. A fungicide creates a layer of protection on the leaf. When spores land on a sprayed leaf, they can’t penetrate the leaf tissue. On an untreated leaf, fungal spores can enter the leaf and it works like a spider web inside the leaf. Follow the directions on the product you choose. Most need an application every two weeks. Fungicides are only a preventative so use before you have a problem.
Which plants benefit most from fungicides? Tomato and vine crops for sure. In the perennial beds, peony, tall garden phlox, asters and anything you notice from previous years that develops spot, mold or mildew. Some annuals like zinnia also seem to attract leaf issues. Many of my peonies are also starting to get botrytis, very common but seldom deadly. Some varieties are more susceptible than others, so always look for resistant ones.
Berry good
Raspberries galore – well soon anyway! I have the fall bearing type which have spit out a few here and there so far. They are just loaded with developing fruits right now. With my new fencing system of using hog panels, the berry clusters are upright and will be easy to pick.
Fall raspberries are my number one choice for easy to grow and manage fruits. Much less work than strawberries and a patch that is cared for can produce for 20+ years. Like strawberries, managing all the offshoots can be a regular task.
Berries are ready to pick when they easily separate from the receptacle and are darker red. If you have to tug on them, they are not ripe and will not ripen further after picking. Picking at the peak of freshness can be a daily task. Do not wash until ready to use as it will make them mushy.
The worst insect issues with raspberries are the picnic beetle, aka sap beetle. They are lady bug size, black and oval with yellow dots. Make yourself a scrap trap to decrease their numbers. Place ruined raspberries or other sweet scraps like melon rinds on a paper plate nestled in a grocery store bag by the berry patch. May need to use a rock to keep it from blowing away. The insects will be attracted to all the sugary goodness and congregate. When you notice a bunch in your trap, simple grab the bag up and throw away, tying the top shut of course. Then start another one. This will greatly reduce your beetle numbers by melons and berries.
Japanese Beetles are also a problem on raspberries. If only a few, you can hand pick them as they aren’t very fast. Drop into a cup of water with a little oil floating on the top. You can also hold a cup under the leaf they are destroying and a gentle tap to the leaf and they usually will fall right into your cup.