Tips
Solving tomato problems
Home grown tomatoes are renowned for their flavour, but they can suffer from a number of problems. Here are some guidelines for growing healthy tomatoes:
- Some tomato diseases are carried in the soil, so choose a different spot each year (avoid planting in the same part of the garden for at least four years). If you don’t have enough space for this, think about growing tomatoes in a pot. The 400mm Yates Tuscan Edge pot with its self-watering feature is a good size. Bigger still (such as the 500mL Yates Tuscan) is even better.
- Some tomato diseases are spread by small sap-sucking insects such as aphids and thrips. Watch out for these – even though they’re small they can be deadly carriers. Yates Tomato Dust will take care of many of these pests, but remember to dust both sides of the leaves. Another option is to spray with low toxic Nature’s Way Natrasoap. It comes in both ready-to-use and concentrate formulations.
- Some tomato diseases are fungal which, like all fungi, need moisture to germinate, so the first step is to keep the leaves dry. Do this by applying water at the base of the plant and by watering in the morning so the leaves can quickly dry. Removing lower leaves will help, too – they can be affected by water splashing up from the soil – as will mulching around the base of the plant. Tomato Dust contains two different fungicides – copper and sulfur – that will assist in stopping fungi from taking hold.
- When buying tomato plants or seeds, look for varieties that mention disease resistance. Tomatoes are particularly disease-prone in warm, humid climates, so wilt-resistant varieties such as Yates new Summerstar are good choices for these areas.
- Prevent blossom end rot – sunken areas at the base of the fruit – by keeping the water supply even. Good mulching will help. And add some lime or gypsum before planting so that there’s adequate calcium in the soil.
- As tomatoes mature, many areas will require some type of fruit fly regime. Yates Nature’s Way Fruit Fly Control doesn’t need to be sprayed directly onto the fruit, so there’s no withholding period. Some growers enclose the tomato fruit in paper or mesh bags that exclude the pests while still allowing the fruit to develop. Any fruit-fly-infested tomatoes should go into a plastic bag. Seal the bag and leave it in the sun for a few hours to kill the maggots.
- Well fed plants are better able to resist pests and diseases. Regular feeding with Dynamic Lifter for Tomatoes will supply a specially-formulated blend of natural and inorganic nutrients.
- Finally – if all else fails – grow cherry tomatoes. They don’t seem to be troubled by anything!
Comments (13)
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Patricia
Yates site member
15:48, 14 March 2011
Hi! Article is very informative and I hope that my tomatoes are as great looking as yours. Started using “Thrive Concentrate Tomato Food” which I bought last week.<br /> <br /> Best wishes<br /> Patricia<br /> Malaysia
Anthony
Yates site member
22:46, 22 March 2011
Where can I find Yates products in my area Mc Comb, Mississippi APS
Mark
Yates site member
12:43, 03 May 2011
Hi i have some tomatos that won't rippen can u help
Alan
Yates site member
16:02, 30 July 2011
Where do I find Yates Tomato Spray and Guardall as mentioned in your article "Create the taste of italy" Who can help?
Alan
Yates site member
16:14, 30 July 2011
Where do I find your products mentioed in "Create the taste of Italy" ie: Yates tomato spray and Guardall ?
wayne
Yates site member
07:40, 22 September 2011
how can i stop the pests that leave a black punture hole then from this point the tomatoe starts to rot.
john
Yates site member
10:32, 08 October 2011
Hi,I am using a spray preperation given to me by a commercial tomato grower of 30 years.Am using on my tomatoes and vegies and so far[fingers crossed]they are growing great.Grate Sunlight bar soap and dilute with water at 100 to 1.I was informed he had been using this for over 25 years and had never had any problems so heres hoping I don't have any problems either. Cheers John
Terry
Yates site member
16:22, 08 October 2011
I have yellowing leaves on tomatoes. They are planted in new soil from garden supplier. Can you offer reason why ?
Julie
Yates site member
16:21, 20 October 2011
I would like more information on how to look after the tomatoes as they grow please.
Dianne
Yates site member
19:58, 08 November 2011
Why do I get lots of top growth and not much fruiting?
John
Yates site member
11:30, 13 December 2011
Hi. I am having trouble with tomatoes stagger planted fron end aug. to mid nov. , they are all out in the open and in new areas and some in pots all are spindly and seem to be a healthy top half on a dried and withered bottom half all are mulched and watered regularly some times with very dilute horse manure. there is some crop but disappointing .
Fallan
Yates site member
18:07, 18 December 2011
Can a tomatoe plant,small tomatoes,not cherry,in a pot, be trimed too much? If so what can be done to save them?
geraldine
Yates site member
22:48, 30 December 2011
what is causing tomatoes to go black on the bottom,this plant is in a pot.geraldine
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