Tomatoes are infamously fastidious plants. Tomatoes are in the potato family, which makes them subject to tens, if not hundreds of pest and illness Problems; nonetheless that shouldn't stop any tomato loving gardener from harvesting buckets of healthy tomatoes. The secret's to learn how to prevent, diagnose and treat tomato Problems.
Tomato Sickness Prevention
Disease prevention in tomato plants starts with healthy growing practices. Preparing the soil, watering properly, and feeding reasonably are all keys to tomato illness prevention. Tomatoes like a well draining soil full of plenty of organic matter. Tomato roots penetrate deeply into the soil, helping to steady plants and take up water. With well prepared soil, watering extremely and infrequently"every 4-6 days, will allow for the tomato plant to have enough water, without putting the plant at risk of issues of very "wet feet." Always water in the morning, so plant leaves have time to dry in the daytime. Leaves are an ideal spot for disease incubation, and water ripens those conditions even more. Prune your plants to provide air movement thru the leaves and branches, which may also help drying time. Make sure your tomato plants receive correct nutrition by conducting a soil test, and treating the soil according to the results. All these practices will give your plants an excellent start defending against diseases and pests.
Diagnosing Tomato Pests and Sicknesses
If all of your well meaning cultivation practices have not stopped your plants from succumbing to a problem, then you should diagnose the difficulty. Tomatoes can have pest Problems, sustenance issues, viral, bacterial and fungal Problems.
Pest damage to tomato plants causes perceivable physical changes. Cutworms actually cut off the plant from its root system, causing the plant to shrivel and die. Aphid damage results in sticky residue on the plant. Aside from the damage they impose, you can often see the pest itself on the plant. Caterpillars bury into fruit and eat it, causing fruit to decay. Whiteflies and spider mites are visible on the leaves. Diagnosing pest issues is less complicated than other issues because most pests can be noted on the plant.
Tomato Sickness Prevention
Disease prevention in tomato plants starts with healthy growing practices. Preparing the soil, watering properly, and feeding reasonably are all keys to tomato illness prevention. Tomatoes like a well draining soil full of plenty of organic matter. Tomato roots penetrate deeply into the soil, helping to steady plants and take up water. With well prepared soil, watering extremely and infrequently"every 4-6 days, will allow for the tomato plant to have enough water, without putting the plant at risk of issues of very "wet feet." Always water in the morning, so plant leaves have time to dry in the daytime. Leaves are an ideal spot for disease incubation, and water ripens those conditions even more. Prune your plants to provide air movement thru the leaves and branches, which may also help drying time. Make sure your tomato plants receive correct nutrition by conducting a soil test, and treating the soil according to the results. All these practices will give your plants an excellent start defending against diseases and pests.
Diagnosing Tomato Pests and Sicknesses
If all of your well meaning cultivation practices have not stopped your plants from succumbing to a problem, then you should diagnose the difficulty. Tomatoes can have pest Problems, sustenance issues, viral, bacterial and fungal Problems.
Pest damage to tomato plants causes perceivable physical changes. Cutworms actually cut off the plant from its root system, causing the plant to shrivel and die. Aphid damage results in sticky residue on the plant. Aside from the damage they impose, you can often see the pest itself on the plant. Caterpillars bury into fruit and eat it, causing fruit to decay. Whiteflies and spider mites are visible on the leaves. Diagnosing pest issues is less complicated than other issues because most pests can be noted on the plant.
About the Author:
Steven Wilson has a passion for growing tomatoes and has spent over 25 years making a profit from tomatoes and mastering how to grow tomatoes the best way.