Tomatoes coming out of my ears

What if nature's exuberance results in a bumper crop (scroll down on Word Detective for unexpected derivation of this term)? Here are some options to extend the pleasure of growing:

1. Canning - The Seattle Farmer's Market has simple canning instructions, even though you are actually bottling them (go find the derivation on that for extra credit).
2. Freezing - The Ag Dept. in North Dakota, a state known for cold temps, published useful directions. It includes some lovely recipes for salsa and sauce which we know can also be successfully frozen.
3. Sun-drying - In California, we can easily use Renee's Garden's instructions, but there are options for those in moister, cooler climates too.
4. Donating - In the Concord area, Anna Chan is an urban saint who gleans from yards -- with owner permission -- by her OWN HANDS. See her blog, The Lemon Lady. If you are out of the area, your local food bank or church will likely be thrilled to get your surplus produce. In fact, we are donating a couple dozen of our plants to the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano. They are going to grow some directly for their clients. Makes ya feel real good...

Problem Solving

Introduction
   The majority of tomato problems generally stem from 3 things:

      a. Diseases and Pests: some of the most common pathogens are soil-borne, particularly the VFN triad, i.e., Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt, Nematodes (AKA eelworms).  There are also visible predators, such as the spectacular hornworm, that treat tomatoes as basically a salad bar thoughtfully provided by growers.
     b. Soil: tomatoes are big eaters.  Therefore, nutrient-poor or -imbalanced soil can lead to a failure to thrive or low fruit production.
     c. Moisture: too much and the roots rot; too little and the plant abandons fruit production in an effort just to survive.  See our blog post of April 21, 2010 for more about the art of watering.
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Q: Why are my tomatoes developing squishy areas on the bottom?
A: Blossom-end rot is a "physiological problem caused by a low level of calcium in the fruit itself. "  Read more here at the Gardenweb - Blossom end-rot.  To help heal your soil, amend it freely with calcium-rich items such as:

• Egg shells
• Borage - delicious flowers and stems, beloved by bees

Q: What is causing some of the leaves to turn yellow?
A:  Several things may be causing this to happen:
     1. If the lower leaves are yellowing, but not drying, the plant may not be able to get enough nutrtion from the soil.  Therefore, it cannabalizes nutrients from the lower leaves for the growing leaves up top.  In this situation, give the plant a good feed.
     2. If the lower leaves turn yellow and die, the plant may have verticillium or fusarium wilt (see this Ohio State site for more info, pictures).  If this is case, you will need to pull out and discard the affected crop and dirt -- do not put it into your compost bin!  Then, you should do the following:

• Rotate your crop on a long (4-6 year) cycle
• Amend the heck out of your soil with liberal amounts of compost and worm castings

     3. If the leaves are turning yellow, and the plant is wilting, nematodes may be the cause.  The best way to tell is to pull up the tomato plant(s) at the end of the season and look for bumpy roots (see example of gall-infested roots).  You will need to heal the soil, which can be done with a combination of:

• Crop rotation
• Organic soil amendments, especially ones that encourage microbes that feed on nematodes (see crab shell meal - available from Peaceful Valley Farms
• Planting french marigolds (Tagetes patula), which contain a natural nematode repellant  

Q: Why are the blooms on my tomato plant dying and falling off?
A: " 'Blossom-Drop' is a condition...where the plant blooms but fails to set fruit as the blooms die and fall off.  ...the most common cause is temperature extremes".  Read more here: Gardenweb - Blossom Drop

Q: What are good companion plants to grow with tomatoes?  What should not be planted with tomatoes
A: With grateful acknowledgement to the late Louise Riotte, we include some advice from "Carrots Love Tomatoes"
  Good
  1. Asparagus is an effective killer of nematodes that attack tomatoes. Tomatoes return the favor by repelling asparagus beetles, because tomatoes contain solanine.
  2. Basil helps tomatoes to overcome both insects and disease, also improving growth and flavor.
  3. Garlic sprays are useful in controlling late blight.  Garlic is an effective destroyer of the diseases that damage stone fruits, cucumbers, radishes, spinach, beans, nuts, and tomatoes. Plant garlic with tomatoes against red spider.
  4. Stinging nettle growing nearby improves the keeping qualities of tomatoes.

  Bad
  1. Tomatoes and anything in the Brassica (Cabbage) family repel each other.
  2. Tomatoes dislike fennel, render potatoes more susceptible to potato blight, and have an inhibiting effect on young apricot trees.
  3. Don't plant tomatoes near corn, since the tomato fruitworm is identical with the corn earworm.

The Big 3..or 4

There are lots of tips and tricks, but here are 3 basic things to help grow a successful crop of tomatoes.

1. Dirt wrap - you know how some spas offer to surround you up to your chin in warm, clean, mud? Well, that's exactly how tomatoes like to be planted. I personally believe that is why they have such cute, hairy stems. Those hairs are actually potential roots, ready to develop and suck up nutrients.
Just trim off the lower leaves, nestle the plant in up to its leafy chin and give it a great, big initial drink for its summer heat treatment.

2. Feed me - tomatoes need to be fed about once a month after planting. There are many and complicated recipes. However, a balanced organic fertilizer that emphasizes phosphorus is a good choice, e.g., a 4-6-4. Phosphorus, the second number in all fertilizer forumulas, is key for fruit production. Many good organic fertilizers can be purchased at your local nursery. We got our plants off to their great start with combinations of products from Dr. Earth, Whitney Farms (currently, a Scotts company), and E.B. Stone.

3. I'll have another sip - be consistent in watering tomatoes after planting to avoid "bingeing". It's not good to drown them one day and follow up with a week of neglect. You can easily monitor the plants' needs by sticking your finger down a couple of inches into the soil. If it's dry, they may need a drink, but maybe not: tomatoes like a bit of drying, even to the point of mild wilting. Mulch also helps -- it slows down moisture loss and keeps roots cooler by providing shade for the soil. Put the mulch up to about 6 inches from the stem; that way, certain pests won't be able to stage a sneak attack under the cover of the mulch.

One last thing: rotate your tomato sites year over year for disease control. Many of the most common tomato pests live in the soil, but you can usually outrun 'em by planting in different locations.

Farmer's Market Day 1

We had a blast yesterday despite the late-season downpour: it rained almost an inch in Walnut Creek, which seemed appropriate for the public baptism of our venture. It was gratifying to have our "babies" well received, to exchange information with new and verteran gardeners, and to meet so many people who are just as committed as we are to healing the planet. We are looking forward to meeting more gardeners and tomato enthusiasts in our community next Sunday.

Saving the planet - one plant at a time

One day Kelley says to Arti, "I've been thinking about growing tomatoes for sale". Arti says to Kelley, "Want some help"? That's the quick version of how we came to start our current adventure. The longer version is, in our humble opinion, even more interesting.

We got acquainted through volunteering at the Markham Arboretum. The fateful conversation recorded above happened during Spring Production class, a horticulture offering of Diablo Valley College. What led up to our being same time / same place was a similar sense that we had each reached the end of our careers (Kelley, concrete artist; Arti, technical project manager). We both wanted to do something we loved, which included -- in a big way -- saving the planet. Why does this matter to us?

For Arti, growing up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula meant an almost endless frolic outdoors, resulting in a love -- and need -- for nature. That relationship just deepened when she moved to California 30 years ago. And, having recently survived cancer, she got real clear that life isn't forever. Soooo, why not spend the time between now and then doing something to help the beloved but besieged environment?

Kelley, on the other hand, was raised right here in Concord, CA, during those golden years when open spaces and family farms were a lot more plentiful. As a foodie (she wishes there were a better term), she was growing increasingly alarmed by the food production "system" -- it's abuses of and indifference to the impact on people and land. Soooo, why not do something to fix it?