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Grants Pass, Oregon

Hello everyone. I hope you can help me. My grandma is growing tomatoes . Every year for some reason when her tomatoes get ripe they have white splotches or spots under the skin. Any ideas why? The people here at the feed and garden store have no clue. Could her soil be lacking in calcium? The fruits look ugly but still taste good. Bye the way she is 77 and I would like to keep my granny happy. ;)

7/24/2002 4:08:26 PM

Stony Plain, Alberta (near Edmonton)

Just ask Ernie from Giant Veggies.... he's Mr. Tomato! Anyone that uses duct tape ain't all that bad.

7/24/2002 4:57:22 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

I agree with Darby Ernie is probably the guy. Epsom salts in case it's a magnesium problem not letting the calcium through.

7/24/2002 6:23:11 PM

Sask, Canada

Polka Dot:

I'm surprised the people at your garden store don't know what your problem is. But I have growers here like that, dont know there A-- from a hole in the ground.

Your problem is not in the soil as you grew tomatoes that rippened and tasted good, Right...

Your problem is Stink Bugs.

Stink bugs suck sap from the plants and from the fruit
causing plants to become weakened and buds and young fruits to be malformed. Yellow or white spots appear under the skin of the ripe fruit.

Control the weeds in the area of the garden and use either

Organic/Biological: dust with sabadilla.

Chemical Control: Sevin 5% dust (Do not apply within 5 days of harvest.)

Stink bugs are black, or green with or without markings and are shield shaped up to 5/8 inch long and 1/3 inch wide. Nymphs resemble adults but are smaller. Stink bugs discharge a foul odor and if you don't believe me take one and drown it in water.

You probably live in an area of the states were growing tomatoes and stink bugs go hand in hand like you mentioned
it happens every year, so be prepared to to battle them again next year.

Hoped this helped
TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies
http://www.members.shaw.ca/giantveggies/

7/24/2002 7:25:22 PM

Edmonton, Canada

Wow Ernie, that was awesome!

7/25/2002 10:15:05 AM

Cologne / Germany

Ernie, good to hear about your tomato competence! We have a problem with blight in August every year, you can loose your plants within 4 days. We have copper lime applications, but the results are poor. Any ideas?

7/25/2002 11:08:47 AM

Grants Pass, Oregon

hey Ernie thank you. I will let my granny know.

7/25/2002 11:53:34 AM

Sask, Canada

Flohberger:

Hmmm... Germany, I'm not quite familiar with your growing season or your weather patterns, but I'll give it a shot as you have given very vague info.

Blight is to general a word, there is:

Early blight which is caused by a fungal foliage pathogen called Alternaria solani.

Late Blight caused by P. infestans.

Bacterial Blight which is caused by a specific bacterium which causes a systemic disease.

Taken from what you have said "loose your plants with'in four days and that it happens in August leads me to believe you have similar weather/growing season as in Canada and the quickness you loose your plants suggest "Late Blight"

Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans)can show up any time during the season but usaully after a period of high moisture or humidity and warm 70-85 degree weather. Constant high humidity leads to serious infections and this type of blight spreads very rapidly.

How to see if this is what you have look for gray to brown to black leaf scorch and an over all burnt appearance to the plant. Active infections have gray spores on underside of the leaves.

If this is what you have treatment with any of the following will work like Chlorothalonil(Daconil), Quadris, Ridomil, Maneb or Mancozeb. Cover the full plant. There are no current consistent curative treatments for late blight just preventive measures. I would recommend a regular dusting of Daconil.

Hoped this Helped
TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies




Phytophthora infestans

7/25/2002 3:03:10 PM

Cologne / Germany

Thank you Ernie, that´s what we have - late blight. Plants look like there was a fire before they die. It starts on several points of the stem, covers the leaves, finally the fruits. And all they offer for treatment is preventive only.
I have 4 plants in the greenhouse to see if it will make a difference to outside.

7/26/2002 4:06:40 AM