Vegetable Plants

/Vegetable Plants

Late Blight

This looks like tomato blight, likely late blight, but we cannot be sure from this distance. There are several types of blight, they may start at the top of the plant or at the bottom and work their way up. Late Blight, Phytophthora infestans, is an odd organism in that it behaves somewhat like a bacteria, but also like a fungus. It will eventually also attack the main stems and can progress very rapidly. Some splash up from the soil surface and others come in on insect feet. Sadly, there is no treatment for a plant in this condition. We suggest you dispose of this plant and its soil in the trash, not the compost bin, and start anew. The entire plant should be pulled and put in the garbage. Make sure the fruit is taken too. Please get a second opinion from you local Extension office or garden center for confirmation by taking a few leaf samples in a baggy so that they can identify it in hand. We wish we had better news for you.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:23-07:00 February 23rd, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Late Blight

This might be tomato blight, likely late blight, at least from your description. There are several types of blight, they may start at the top of the plant or at the bottom and work their way up. Late Blight, Phytophthora infestans, is an odd organism in that it behaves somewhat like a bacteria, but also like a fungus. It will eventually also attack the main stems and can progress very rapidly. Some splash up from the soil surface and others come in on insect feet. Sadly, there is no treatment for a plant in this condition. We suggest you dispose of this plant and its soil in the trash, not the compost bin, and start anew. The entire plant should be pulled and put in the garbage or burned. Make sure the fruit is taken too. Please get a second opinion from you local Extension office or garden center for confirmation by taking a few leaf samples in a baggy so that they can identify it in hand. We wish we had better news for you.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:23-07:00 February 21st, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Stress And Leaf Spot

There are several things that cause tomato foliage to look like this and you may have more than one thing going on. 1. Uneven watering causes tomato leaves to curl and drying out in between waterings can cause edges to brown. This looks like the pot might be too small for so many tomato plants. Usually one tomato should be grown in a pot that is at least 18" to 2' in diameter and two feet tall. Smaller pots just won't support their growth. 2. Leaf spot happens when a tomato is frequently splashed with water especially if the plant is watered in the evening so the leaves stay damp overnight. Try to water tomatoes without getting the leaves wet. 3. Another thing that causes browned edges is fertilizer burn. If you fertilize a thirsty plant (dry soil) the edges can brown. I'd suggest that you only put one tomato plant per pot and use a very large container completely filled with potting soil (no rocks or shards in the bottom!!) and be sure there are drainage holes that aren't covered.

By | 2016-02-21T12:27:32-08:00 February 21st, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Tomato Blossom End Rot

This is a physiological disorder common to tomatoes and peppers in particular. It is the result of a calcium imbalance in the plant, often brought on be erratic watering or temperature fluctuations, but occasionally by an actual lack of calcium in the soil. Hard pruning can make it worse as can overuse of nitrogen-rich fertilizer. You can add calcium as a spray (available at your local garden center), for future developing tomatoes. Harvest and cut off the affected fruit as a green tomato as it will likely rot from here on. Or you can wait to see if the affected fruit ripens. If it does, the fruit is edible except for the hard brownish part of the blossom end rot. Just cut around it. Once the blossom end rot occurs on your fruit it cannot be reversed. For future developing tomatoes, be sure to keep your tomatoes evenly watered, but not soggy and feed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for tomatoes.

By | 2016-02-21T02:42:11-08:00 February 21st, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Water And Fertilizer Issues

We typically see yellowing of leaves in response to over or under watering, and/or nutrient deficiencies. Water should be applied when needed (according to weather conditions and plant size) rather than on a fixed schedule. When applied, water deeply (fewer times per week as opposed to daily) and maintain even soil moisture (avoid fluctuations in very dry and very wet/flooding of soil). Insufficient water dries out roots, and too much water drowns roots; both situations result in a lack of nutrient uptake. We've included a link about Cucumbers so you can refer to this for appropriate fertilizer applications. If watering is done properly and leaves are still yellow you can use this rule of thumb: uniformly yellow lower/older leaves means a lack of Nitrogen. Yellow areas between the veins on newer leaves (at the top of the plant) results from a lack of Iron. We recommend you ask your local garden center professional for an appropriate fertilizer. Here' the link:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/cucumbers.html

By | 2016-02-20T11:31:38-08:00 February 20th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Artichoke

It sounds like your garden is a wonderful gift from your grandfather. Harvest the top stemmed artichoke first and then prune that stem to the ground unless there are lower artichoke fruits developing - the lower ones will not be as large. Make sure you harvest before they open up. If allowed to open, it will develop beautiful purple flowers (stamens), but will no longer be edible. Once you have harvested all the artichokes and cut back the fruit bearing stems, you may have another crop in the fall. After the fall artichokes have been harvested, cut down the plant to the soil level, cover with mulch and it will come back in the late winter/early spring. During its growth and bloom cycles, feed with a slow release or organic fertilizer formulated for vegetables and water regularly. For more information, visit online websites such as:
Growing Artichokes - Bonnie Plants
bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-artichoke

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:23-07:00 February 20th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Tomato Troubles

Tomatoes split because of inconsistent water application. That might not be your fault but may be it is. When a balloon is blown up it has the ability to stretch around the air inside. Tomatoes have skin that is flexible up to a point but when they get lots of water in a short period of time the skin can only expand so much and once it gets to a certain point it can't expand as fast as the water is being absorbed by the roots and sent to the fruit and the fruit splits. This happens mostly after periods of heavy rains over a few days or if you traditionally water every other day and begin to water every day. Or instead of watering a little bit when you water you water for longer periods. The fact is the roots and the fruit don't don't talk 5o each other and splitting occurs. There is not a gosh darn thing you can do about the rain but perhaps you can keep your eye on how you water things and will eventually work out. Remove the damaged fruit and start again. Good luck!

By | 2016-02-19T13:00:43-08:00 February 19th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Fluctuations In Soil Water

This odd shaped/colored fruit may be the result of large fluctations in soil moisture, yellowing leaves, sun exposure on the fruit, or a combination of issues. First, it appears that you have some leafminer insects that have made mines in some leaves, but they probably aren't responsible for the yellow leaves and "off" fruit. The yellowing on the older, larger leaves could be a Nitrogen deficiency, (some of the green leaves appear to be too small which is also a symptom). Nutrient deficiency can also be a result of too much or not enough water in the soil which injures roots so that they take up less of the necessary nutrients. Nitrogen is harder for plants to get usually, anyway. We recommend fertilizing with an appropriate type of material by following the label directions. You can get these materials at your local garden center. Here's more info about squash. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/squash.html

By | 2016-02-18T16:44:12-08:00 February 18th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Peppers

Unfortunately, peppers can be tricky to establish and there are several possible causes for your problems. Damage to pepper leaves can occur for many reasons. It could be situational, like too much water, crowded conditions, soil is too cool, too compact, or nutrient deficiency or excess. We also noticed the peppers are planted right next to the fence which can sometimes cause the yellowing or scorching (brown patches) on leaves because the fence reflects too high light intensity and heat to the plants. Unfortunately, these plants will not likely recover from the existing damage, and even if they did start to improve, they will never be as vigorous as you'd like for pepper fruit production. You may consider starting over with peppers and maybe put them in a raised bed with more organic matter content in the soil. Refer to this website for good info about growing peppers. See the links at the top of the page: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/peppers.html

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:24-07:00 February 17th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More

Tomato Bumps

These are root initiatives, where roots could form if the plant was planted deeper.
Root initials emerge on a tomato stem as a result of stress – most often when there’s a limit or blockage in the stem’s vascular flow. Specifically, a hormone named auxin in branch tips sends a signal to the plant’s roots when it’s blocked in the branch. If there’s a blockage and the hormone can’t flow freely, it accumulates in the stem. Nodules or bumps emerge. The blockage can occur anywhere on the stem.

Often the blockage is water-related. A tomato plant’s roots need air as much as they need water. Over-watering or excess rain (including poor drainage) chokes them. The plant compensates by trying to develop more roots out through the stem – hence the root initials.
Root initials can be the same color as the stem. They may also be white or turn to brown.
No need to worry about them now. Here's a little more info than you really need: http://www.tomatodirt.com/bumps-on-tomato-stems.html

By | 2016-02-15T09:47:48-08:00 February 15th, 2016|Vegetable Plants|0 Comments
Read More