Tomatoes are an all-time favorite veggie of home gardeners.
Here are some common questions about tomato problems, and the answers.
Q. Can you plant tomatoes in the same spot two years in a row?
A. It’s always recommended that you rotate vegetable crops each year to help avoid disease problems. If you removed the plants and all the plant debris at the end of last season, and if your plants were disease-free, you can probably tempt fate and plant tomatoes in the same spot again. Be very careful to remove the spent plants at the end of the season so no insect eggs or disease pathogens remain to infect next year’s crop.
The other problem with planting the same veggie in the same spot is that eventually you’ll deplete the soil. Avoid soil depletion by adding plenty of organic matter to your garden. This may include aged manure or mushroom compost during the winter, and compost, peat moss or leaf mold in the spring.
Q. Why do tomato plants sometimes get yellow leaves?
A.Yellowing leaves on tomato plants is quite common and can be caused by a variety of things, including overwatering, lack of nitrogen and transplant shock. Tomatoes like rich, well-draining soil with lots of organic matter.
Tomatoes also need nitrogen at the start of their growing for green healthy leaves. Try fish emulsion for an organic source of nitrogen, or use a balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10. Tomatoes are also moisture sensitive, and need a regular supply of water to thrive and produce fruit.
Q. Why do tomato plants sometimes get curling leaves?
A.The exact cause of tomato leaf roll is not known. It appears about the time of fruit setting. The good news is that your plants should produce fruit with or without curled leaves. The condition usually gets worse if the soil is kept too wet, or intensive sunlight causes carbohydrates to accumulate in the leaves.
Q. What causes odd-shaped tomato fruit?
A.Odd-shaped tomatoes are usually associated with pollination problems. Dry conditions and very hot weather contribute to pollination problems. However, they usually taste fine.
Here are some common questions about tomato problems, and the answers.
Q. Can you plant tomatoes in the same spot two years in a row?
A. It’s always recommended that you rotate vegetable crops each year to help avoid disease problems. If you removed the plants and all the plant debris at the end of last season, and if your plants were disease-free, you can probably tempt fate and plant tomatoes in the same spot again. Be very careful to remove the spent plants at the end of the season so no insect eggs or disease pathogens remain to infect next year’s crop.
The other problem with planting the same veggie in the same spot is that eventually you’ll deplete the soil. Avoid soil depletion by adding plenty of organic matter to your garden. This may include aged manure or mushroom compost during the winter, and compost, peat moss or leaf mold in the spring.
Q. Why do tomato plants sometimes get yellow leaves?
A.Yellowing leaves on tomato plants is quite common and can be caused by a variety of things, including overwatering, lack of nitrogen and transplant shock. Tomatoes like rich, well-draining soil with lots of organic matter.
Tomatoes also need nitrogen at the start of their growing for green healthy leaves. Try fish emulsion for an organic source of nitrogen, or use a balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10. Tomatoes are also moisture sensitive, and need a regular supply of water to thrive and produce fruit.
Q. Why do tomato plants sometimes get curling leaves?
A.The exact cause of tomato leaf roll is not known. It appears about the time of fruit setting. The good news is that your plants should produce fruit with or without curled leaves. The condition usually gets worse if the soil is kept too wet, or intensive sunlight causes carbohydrates to accumulate in the leaves.
Q. What causes odd-shaped tomato fruit?
A.Odd-shaped tomatoes are usually associated with pollination problems. Dry conditions and very hot weather contribute to pollination problems. However, they usually taste fine.
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