Mountain Biking: Rubber side down- Time for a TurnaroundWell, my friends, things are finally looking up, and good timing, too, since I’m sure you’re all sick of me bitching. Recent bike build, including wheels… fun! In what feels like a fairly short time, I’ve come from sitting around … Continue reading → […]
- This Raised My PulseHey, baby… wanna ride? I may be injured, but I’m not dead yet. I can still have racy thoughts. Here’s more info. In other news, UBI was an awesome success! I had a blast. I highly recommend it. Overhaul day…. … Continue reading → […]
- Time for a Turnaround
- Edgy Veggie
Tomato troubleshooting — and the NatureSweet Homegrown Tomato challenge
Saturday, Saturday, Saturday!
Hide your children and tighten your chinstraps because in just under a week it’s time for the NatureSweet Homegrown Tomato challenge!
Colorado tomatoes | flickr user StacyK
The event, whose Colorado portion takes place at a King Soopers in Arvada, pits home gardeners against one another to see who grows the best tomatoes (or “love apples” — why? Well, the Internet says “Probably translation of French pomme d’amour from the former belief in the tomato’s aphrodisiacal powers,” but we still think it sounds funny).
And in case you’re not fully confident in the aphrodisiacal powers of your own love apples, might we suggest gardening columnist Carol O’Meara’s tomato-growing tips?
But first, you need to get those tomato plants past the ravages of summer. This season those vines are a little moody, developing an alarming number of problems. Here’s a list of trouble your plants may run into and a few simple steps to help control them.
What: Leaves turning yellow with purple veins. Fruit is small and tasteless, and the plant looks as if sugar were spilled on it.
Cause: Psyllids, small sap-feeding insects whose saliva causes the plant to grow oddly. Look under leaves for the scale-like nymphs. Their waste, called lerps, looks like sugar.
Cure: Tiny Psyllids can mean big problems for tomatoes, severely stunting fruit, so at the first sign of them, spray with insecticidal soap.
For more whats, causes and cures, check out the rest of Carol’s tomato-growing tips.
