Common Tomato Problems

          
 Most gardeners will have their tomatoes planted at this time and, because of the very high  amounts of rain, may be suffering with some tomato problems.  Our much needed rain also brought about cooler temperatures as well as reduced sunlight.  The reduced temperatures along with less sun-light will significantly slow the growth of tomato plants. Also, the plants may develop diseases under these conditions. Both fungal and bacterial diseases may infect and damage leaves, stems and fruit.  These diseases can be spread by splashing rain, water run-off, wind-driven rain or mist. Septoria leaf spot and early blight (fungal diseases) may appear early along with bacterial leaf spot.  Leaf spot may cause defoliation of the plant and, in later production, bacterial fruit-spot on the tomato. There are many other diseases which may appear in the early growing season.  These are difficult to diagnose, even for the experts.  More info can be found on OSU Fact Sheets EPP-7626 and EPP-7625 which cover both fungal and bacterial diseases.

If you have blossoming plants, you may be faced with having Blossom Drop,  This can be caused when the nighttime temperature drops below 60 degrees.  In May, we had

as low as 40 degree nights. When this occurs, try covering the plants at night to help keep the plant temperature above 60 degrees.  Also, if the daytime temperature rises above 92 degrees, blossom drop can occur.  It is good to also avoid excessive nitrogen fertilization of the tomatoes.  More info can be found on our OSU Fact Sheets HLA-6012 and EPP-7627.  

It gets even better...there is likely to be an increase in insect damage due to the very damp and humid weather that will be come about on sunny days following rains.  The corn ear worm and the tomato fruit worm are the more prevalent insects in Oklahoma.  Simple visual inspection of the plants is the best way to identify the type of insect that is on your plants, which then leads to the type of control that can be used to eliminate the problem.  Other pests can also be identified in our Fact Sheet  EPP-7313 and HLA-6013. 

In more mature plants other diseases can be caused by fungi, which are called wilts and blights.  One major Oklahoma problem is a fusarium wilt.  Early symptoms are yellowing of the lower leaves.  The disease progresses up the plant stem, killing all the foliage and the plant dies.  There are several other fungi that attack tomatoes, which again are listed in our Fact Sheet EPP-7625.  

Finally, there are non-infectious diseases such as blossom-end Rot.  The fruit is affected when about half grown and is identified by a spot that starts and grows on the blossom-end of the fruit.  As it matures, it grows and sinks into the fruit causing a dark, leathery look.

OSU Fact Sheets are available at the OSU Extension Center Tulsa Office (4116 East 15th) and also on our Tulsa Master Gardener website.

No Garden is Complete Without a Hummer

Hummingbirds, also affectionately called "hummers", are the smallest of all warm-blooded creatures on the earth.  But, don't let their size fool you.  Hummers are tough, fast, and feisty little beings!  And they are gorgeous stunt flyers.  A hummingbird's only natural habitat is in the Americas.  It's no wonder that Spanish explorers called them "flying jewels".   

Hummers are fabulous pollinators that you will definitely want to attract to your garden or yard.  What does the hummer need in your yard to make it "hummer heaven?  Just food, water, shelter, and a little shade.

Look out for the 3 species found in Oklahoma.  The Ruby-Throated and the Black-Chinned hummers nest in Oklahoma and are found here during the summer.  The Rufous hummingbird does not nest in Oklahoma, but migrates through the state during the spring and fall on their way to other destinations.

Because hummers satisfy their protein needs by eating insects such as gnats, spiders, mosquitoes, aphids, caterpillars, and insect eggs, the use of pesticides is discouraged.  Pesticides kill their food source and can harm them as well.  We all know that hummers love flowers for nectar.  They rely on their peepers to locate flowers, so plants having red, orange, pink, yellow, or purple flowers will get their attention.  Here are a few plants that will attract hummingbirds in our area:

Coral Honeysuckle

Trumpet Creeper

Flame Azalea

Autumn Salvia

Pineapple Sage

Scarlet Sage

Texas Red Sage

Indian Paintbrush

Penstemon

Red Morning Glory

Cypress Vine

Cardinal Flower

Red Bee Balm

Missouri Verbena

Crimson Columbine

Red-hot Poker                        

Coral Bells

Tall Garden Phlox

Prairie Phlox                                         

Cannas

Water for drinking, cooling off and bathing is essential.  You can use misters, birdbaths, or fountains.  Hummers will love you if you provide a nectar feeder with a simple sugar water solution, 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Caution:  Please avoid using honey or red dye which is harmful to hummers.  Hummers aggressively protect feeding territory against all intruders, including other hummers.  When you have five or less hummers competing for the same feeder, additional feeders scattered in the yard 25 feet or more apart will encourage hummers to establish individual territories in your yard.  When you have more than five hummers battling each other over the feeder, installing several hummingbird feeders in the yard separated by only a few feet encourages several hummers to feed at one time.  A hummer can escape to another feeder when chased off by a fellow hummer.  It is important to keep hummingbird feeders cleaned out every a few days to avoid harmful bacteria build up.  There are a lot tricks to prevent ants, bats, squirrels and other feeder invaders from taking over the feeder...a little internet googling will give you lots of information.

Hummers have a way to make it through the night without eating, which is called "torpor".  Their body uses this same hibernation technique as they do for very cold weather, whereby their body temperature falls by 50 degrees and their heart rate drops from the normal 500 beats/minute to less than 50.  They can appear dead when in this state.  But as the morning approaches, they return to normal and are ready for a new day.

Hummers have a very adorable chirp, instead of the normal singing voice other birds have.  The following website allows you to hear the different chirps they use to communicate.  http://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/sounds.php 

Just so you know, it is illegal in the United States to hold a hummingbird, nest, baby or any part of a hummingbird, nest or egg, in any type of captivity in any way. Unless you have a valid permit, you cannot trap, band, hold, harass, or control any hummingbird or any part of the hummingbird, nest or egg.  Fines range from $15,000 - $200,000.   http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html

Please check out the OSU Extension Fact Sheet HLA-6435 for valuable information on the habitats you can create to attract your very own hummers.  They will remember your plants and feeders and will visit you every summer! 

Other interesting websites on amazing hummingbirds:

http://www.hummingbirds.net/about.html

http://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/startstop.php

http://mentalfloss.com/article/62820/9-adorable-facts-about-hummingbirds

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/hummingbirds

Composting: It Just Makes $ense

What is fun, inexpensive and a good way to learn something useful along side your kids or grandkids?   Composting! 

What is compost?  It is a dark brown, humus rich material that is produced through the decomposition of organic material like grass clippings, leaves, vegetable scraps, twigs, straw or other types of vegetation.  It not only adds important nutrients, enzymes and microorganisms to your soil, but also improves soil structure by making heavy soil (clay) more crumbly and friable.  It will improve light soil (sand) by holding soil particles together and increasing the sandy soil's moisture holding capacity.

Why compost?  It makes sense and saves cents!  Instead of going to the garden center and purchasing bags of compost, why not make it yourself?  It's easy to do - 'stuff' just decomposes.  This will not only save you money, but you will also be helping your community by decreasing the amount of refuse that needs to be picked up, hauled to a landfill, and dumped.  Compost provides nitrogen and other nutrients your plants need.  It also helps to release nutrients that are bound up in the soil by turning the nutrients into water soluble compounds that can be easily absorbed through the roots, reducing the need for commercial fertilizers.

How do I get started?  Some keys to successful composting are:

• Proper moisture is important to keep the microorganisms active.  Over watering will exclude oxygen necessary for decomposition and under watering slows down the decomposition process.
• Aeration helps provide oxygen that the microorganisms require to break down organic debris.  Regular turning of the compost will insure proper aeration and speed up the decomposition process.
• Bacteria found in the soil and plant material to be composted are the primary microorganisms that break down the organic matter.
• At least a 3' x 3' pile is necessary to create enough volume to create heat and maintain adequate temperature for the pile to decompose efficiently.  A pile larger than 5' x 5' is difficult to aerate properly.
• Smaller particle size increases the surface area for microorganisms to work on.  Efficiency is improved when material is chopped or shredded to reduce particle size.
• The carbon to nitrogen ratio should be kept to about 25-30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen. This ratio can be achieved by using equal parts of green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) material.
• Never add fats, oils, protein scraps, dairy products, human or pet manure, colored newspaper, plastic or ashes to your compost pile.

Your compost pile may be as simple as a pile on the ground to a 3-bin operation to a commercially available composter.  It depends on how much you want to invest, both in both time and in money.  Remember, 'stuff' decomposes.  You can help it along with proper moisture, aeration, bacteria, and carbon to nitrogen ratios.  It just makes $ense! 

For more information to help you get started, see OSU Fact Sheets: BAE 1744, PSS 2911, L 252, and HLA 6007 at http://osufacts.okstate.edu  

Chickens: Why Have Them?

Crack open a store-bought egg, then crack open an egg from your own backyard.  The egg from the store will feature a thin shell, pale yolk that breaks easily and watery white. The flavor will be bland and the texture slippery.  A backyard bird's egg will boast thick shells, firm whites and an unbelievably bright yolk (often bright orange, representing all the beta carotene inside).  Hens will start laying eggs when they are about 6 months old. They will consistently lay an egg every 1-2 days for several years.  These eggs, especially when the chickens are given kitchen scraps and/or allowed to free range, are more flavorful than anything you'll ever find in the store.

Backyard and free-ranged hens produce eggs that are very nutritious and great tasting, not to mention they are always fresh!  Free-range and backyard hens' eggs are also much healthier than battery hens' eggs.  It can take up to three weeks to get the store bought eggs from the layers to your local store. 

The nutritional value of free-range eggs makes this challenge a worthwhile endeavor for the backyard farmer wanting to produce higher quality eggs for a healthier diet.  Mother Earth News performed an egg study comparing free-range eggs to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs.  The findings showed that, compared to store bought eggs, fresh free-range chicken eggs produced:

    * 1/3 less cholesterol
    * 1/4 less saturated fat
    * 2/3 more vitamin A
    * 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
    * 3 times more vitamin E
    * 7 times more beta-carotene

However, the USDA has stated that there is no difference in the nutritional values of store bought eggs verses free range chicken eggs.

The USDA provides the following guidelines for our use:

Grade: Eggs are given grades (AA, A, or B) based on interior quality factors like defects and freshness, and exterior factors reflecting shell attributes.  Grade AA eggs have the thickest whites; Grade A eggs have slightly less thick whites which do not spread easily, making them a preferred choice for frying; Grade B eggs usually have thinner egg whites, making them ideal for cake mixes and omelets.

Size: Eggs vary in size based on their weight.  Extra Large, Large, and Medium are the most common sizes found in stores. The size markings on egg cartons tell the minimum net weight for a dozen eggs.  If you are looking for more protein, you should choose a larger sized egg.

Raising Claims: Many are concerned with the way egg-laying hens are raised.  Here are a couple of quick definitions for some popular claims.  Eggs labeled "cage-free" or "from free-roaming hens" are laid by hens that are allowed to roam in a room or open area, which is typically a barn or poultry house.  "Free-range" or "pasture-fed" eggs are produced by hens raised outdoors or with access to outdoors.  In addition to the feed provided, these hens may also eat wild plants and insects.

Natural: This term simply means that nothing was added to the egg.  All eggs meet this criteria.

Organic: Eggs marked with the USDA's National Organic Program label come from uncaged hens that are free to roam in their houses and have access to the outdoors.  The hens are fed an organic diet of feed produced without conventional pesticides or fertilizers.

Another benefit for having chickens in the back yard is, once you've harvested everything you want from your vegetable garden, your chickens will happily clear the beds, scratching out and eating unwanted weeds, slugs and seeds and fertilizing the soil while they're at it.  If you own an orchard or a few fruit trees, chickens will devour the fallen fruit before it can attract insects.  Chicken manure contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which are great for your yard, gardens and flower beds.

If you are of the mind, you may also have the chickens as a meat for the table.  But, for the most part the eggs are the true benefit of having chickens in your back yard along with the fertilizer that is produced.