THE BULLETIN • SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022 C3
Gardening corner
ANNIVERSARY
August can be a confusing
time for tomato growers
BY LIZ DOUVILLE
For The Bulletin
Readers who have fol-
lowed the gardening column
over the years know it must
be mid-August. Mid to late
August has turned into the
traditional time to talk about
tomato problems. For many
readers it is a review and for
new tomato growers it might
be an awareness to a problem
you may be having.
Tomatoes got off to a slow
start this year. The tempera-
ture range was inconsistent
when we were thinking of put-
ting out starts. We had normal
temperatures for a short pe-
riod, then almost two weeks
of 100-degree weather which
confused the plants, as well as
the gardener.
Tomato plants grow best
when the temperatures are
under 90 degrees. When the
temperature reaches tempera-
tures above that range, blos-
som set slows down. Watering
may also be a reason the blos-
som set is minimal. Tomatoes
have a deep root system and
need deep watering. Shallow
watering can weaken the root
system and the ability to pro-
duce blossoms. Avoid water-
ing daily. Best practice is to
water deeply several times a
week to allow root systems to
grow strong.
What can go wrong and right
This year I experienced
blossom-end rot at the be-
ginning of the season. Blos-
som-end rot shows itself as a
gray to black spot on the blos-
som end (opposite the stem)
of the tomato. It can develop
on the green fruit as well as
the ripe. The condition is
caused due to deficiency in the
uptake of calcium, which is in
the soil. Moisture stress either
from very wet or very
dry conditions contrib-
ute to how the calcium
is delivered to the
plant. More fer-
tilizer would
not be the
answer. Toma-
toes are not
heavy feeders.
Low nitrogen
(the first num-
ber of a fertilizer
formula) is applied
at planting and again
when tomatoes need the
extra energy to set fruit.
Fruit cracks or tomato split-
ting is also a problem caused
by our generosity with water.
Sometimes I think we are our
own worst garden enemy. I
know that on those days of
over 100, I was sure the toma-
toes in the greenhouse needed
more water when what they
really needed was an im-
proved cooling system. The
sudden uptake of water causes
internal fruit tissues to grow
faster than the skin, causing
the skin to crack or split. The
fruit is still edible.
Catfacing is a term used to
describe misshapen fruit with
irregular bulges at the blos-
som end and bands of leath-
ery scar tissue. Cold weather
at the time of blossom set
distorts and kills certain cells
that should develop into fruit,
resulting in the deformities.
Most common in the large-
fruited “beefsteak” tomatoes.
Zippering is a thin, dark
line connecting the stem and
blossom ends that develops on
the fruit. It is caused by poor
pollination due to cold tem-
peratures.
Physiological leafroll sounds
and looks alarming. Leafroll
occurs when the edges of the
leaves roll upward and inward.
Some-
times it
may curl
to the op-
posite side. It is a
self-defense method of
preventing further water loss.
Leafroll does not reduce
plant growth, yield, or fruit
quality. It is believed to result
from irregular water supply
and may be intensified follow-
ing pruning. The symptoms
may be temporary, but can
persist throughout the grow-
ing season.
The underlying fear of all
tomato growers is that we
wake up to discover we have
had a visit from a tomato
hornworm, the caterpillar of
the five-spotted hawkmoth
(Manduca quinquenmaculata)
also known as the humming-
bird or sphinx moth. Horn-
worms looks like a mini pre-
historic monster, are up to 5
inches long bright green with
a black horn on its posterior.
They feed on the leaves and
can defoliate an entire plant.
I have also found them on
the fruit. They are masters
of camouflage, blending ex-
tremely well with the plant.
Be sure and look under the
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leaves.
The tell-
tale sign,
in addition
to the damage,
is the black frass
(droppings) on the
leaves. The control measure is
to handpick and destroy.
Local climte a benefit, too
We complain about our short
and sometimes difficult grow-
ing season but we need to keep
in mind our positive points.
We have a minimum amount
of slugs and snails, which usu-
ally have arrived in a plant we
purchased. Our humidity is so
low that we aren’t plagued with
the variety of plant viruses and
fungal diseases that other areas
have to manage. That in itself
is a big plus.
A big myth that still circu-
lates is that to ripen a tomato
you place it on the window
sill in the sunshine. The best
method is to leave it on the
countertop but out of the sun
and please don’t refrigerate
them. They will do much bet-
ter in an attractive bowl or
a basket lined with a paper
towel.
█
Email Liz Douville at
douville@bendbroadband.com
Submitted photo
Carlos and Gwenn Wysling of Bend celebrated their 30th
wedding anniversary on Aug. 20.
The couple were married Aug. 20, 1992, at the Brazilian
Room in the Berkeley Hills in California.
They have traveled to 30 countries in their three decades
together.
They have lived in Central Oregon for 15 years.
The Bulletin welcomes your announcements.
Forms for engagement, wedding, anniversary
or birthday announcements are available at
bendbulletin.com/lifestyle/milestones. Forms
and photos must be submitted within one
month of the celebration for publication in a
Sunday edition. Questions? Call 541-383-0304
or email milestones@bendbulletin.com.
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