Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9410220024
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN ARBOGAST
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The plants will be pre-dug to discourage removal of arboretum soil by plant recipients. Visitors should bring their own containers or bags.
Q: For years I have had wonderful success with tomatoes, but these past few years there is white fiber in all of the tomatoes. My neighbor has the same problem. I would like to know if I should do some soil preparation when I put my small garden away for the winter or if there is something lacking in the soil.
R.M.M., Huddleston
A: I had to request help from the Office of Consumer Horticulture at Virginia Tech on this question. The white fiber that develops in tomatoes and has been quite common in our area, it seems, develops as a result of the fruit setting process. Any type of stressful conditions for the tomato plants make the white fiber presence worse. Thus, because this problem has been all over, our weather may have played a role in its occurrence.
Gardeners who haven't noticed this should know that different tomato varieties react differently.
Something lacking in the garden soil could be a "stressor" for tomatoes as well as other vegetables growing there. This fall when you put your garden to bed for the season, try the following:
Remove dead plants and supports; take a soil test and mix in lime or sulfur if needed, but wait until just prior to planting to fertilize; spread a 2-inch layer of organic matter, such as shredded leaves, compost or peat, over the garden and mix in; and sow cover crop(s) if it's not too late in the fall.
Following is a letter from Joseph E. Hess, Buena Vista, regarding Colorado potato bugs.
Like many of my gardening colleagues, I was surprised at your recent answer to H.L.K., Troutville. Surely you are aware of Bacillus Thurengensis, Var. San Diego. This product has been on the market for several years under the name Colorado Potato Beetle Pre-adult Control and M-1. The latter can be purchased from Gardens Alive.
This product is organic and affects only the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle; preventing them from reaching the adult stage helps prevent the damage traditionally done by this pest.
Following is my response:
Thanks for the information. As I've said many times before, local extension staff members like me are supposed to recommend only those products in the current Pest Management Guide from Virginia Tech. The guide mentions the product you wrote about but it states: "Consider 1 percent rotenone dust for hard to kill (resistant) Colorado potato beetle."
John Arbogast is the agriculture and natural resources extension agent for Roanoke. Send short questions about your lawn, garden, plants, or insects to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491. Those of wide appeal will be answered each week. Personal replies cannot be given.
by CNB