JULY 7, 1999--TOMATOES GROWN FROM AN APARTMENT. PHOTO BY: JAMIE RECTOR ( Tomatoes grow in a small cage outside an apartment. )
Q • I live in South County and most of the people I know have tomato plants that have all died. I've had one out of my three die from the bottom up. There's a big tomato farm about two miles away, and I noticed all his plants started dying from the bottom up. His were absolutely gorgeous from May until about three weeks ago. Do you know if there's a wholesale problem in St. Louis area this year?
A • It isn’t just this year. This same question arises, year in, year out, without fail. There isn’t any one specific problem that causes tomatoes to die from the “bottom up.” Several problems that look alike are described in our online visual guide here: tinyurl.com/y2mrnyjr
Write to Chip Tynan of the Missouri Botanical Garden at chip.tynan@mobot.org or Horticultural Answer Service, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, 63110.
The causes are many and varied, but there are several conditions common to the many inquiries I receive at this time of year. These include plants that were set out too soon in spring while conditions were too cool for tomatoes to thrive, and before the weather has settled. This is where the problems first begin. Exposure to cold weather stresses tomatoes, making them more susceptible to disease later in summer.
Several other factors are common in gardens with failed tomato crops. These include the following:
Improper spacing: Allow 3 feet distance between standard plants. Closer spacing restricts air circulation, making it easier for diseases to infect, and spider mites to move from plant to plant.
Overhead irrigation, especially late in the day that causes foliage to remain wet overnight, when infections occur. This is why good air circulation is so important, as it promotes rapid drying of the foliage, which is critical for disease prevention.
Failure to mulch the root zone. Mulch absorbs splashing water, minimizing the risk of spores bouncing up onto the undersides of leaves and causing infection. Studies suggest a thick, loose layer of straw is the best mulch to use for this purpose around tomatoes.
Every week, we feature a St. Louis-area home to showcase, usually because of its great style; but sometimes, just being quirky earns it the distinction.
September 14, 2020 at 03:30AM
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Tomato plants dying from bottom up could have many causes - STLtoday.com
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