The Trouble with Tomato's

I have met a tremendous amount of friends and acquaintances throughout my years and many of them because of a common interest...the fun of gardening. However,out of all the conversations that I have engaged in about gardening, the most talked about has been growing the Tomato. And the most important thing that I think I can tell anyone about the trouble with growing the Tomato is that there is to much human intervention

When these acquaintances found out that I was a farmer and avid gardener they immediately assumed that I might know everything there was to know about growing the Tomato. And I would like to make one point perfectly clear...I don't. Of course most of us know the common element of the species... and that is that they like lots of sun and they seem to be susceptible to every disease and bug on the planet. This of course is the reasoning as to why many folks have went to growing the Hybrid Tomato.

Some has resolved to the fact that since we seem to be incapable to growing the sensitive fruit on our own, then we can turn to science for all the answers.

But I daresay that science has not done that great of a job in and of itself. Science in its quest to answer and solve every question of the world; has decided that they can do a far better job than nature, or in my belief; God himself. They figure that nature has not done a good enough job on its own; therefore they can improve by genetically changing the way the tomato grows.

They modify and try to create a seed that is resistant to bugs, will produce earlier, attain greater yields, grow in cooler climates and have better nutrition. And it's all well and good just as long as we continue to purchase and plant the seeds that science creates for us. However, in depending upon science, we seem to lose our own ability to sustain ourselves. These Hybrid seeds will not reproduce themselves; which means you are now completely dependent upon someone else for your gardening endeavors.

I do have a somewhat reserved appreciation for science, but not when it comes to messing with our food. Science has unlocked quite a few doors about the questions we have always had about why things go wrong. They have taught us about the PH factor of our soils, they have explained what's in soil and what makes it produce the foods that we consume and science has helped reveal the type of nutrition that is available in those foods. And as far as I'm concerned...that's as far as science needs to go. The growing process should then be left to us.

I believe that we as gardeners should take the common sense approach to growing the Tomato. And of course; my common sense approach is to first get away from the Hybrid seed. You do have the ability to grow the old fashioned, been around for thousands of years Tomato. Just use common sense. And since I have opened my mouth; I will do my best to explain how I do it.

The first step is to plant Heirloom seeds. These seeds have been around since time began. They are strong and have adapted themselves to growing in places that we thought a Tomato could never grow. Nature is like that...it survives if left alone.

The first consideration to growing any plant in the garden is the soil. There again; science offers us so many quick fix's and easy solutions. But here again; I use the common sense solutions. Your soil has most of every thing it needs to grow good Tomatoes; however, if we nurture the soil a little, then we can produce great Tomatoes.

Always remember that your soil is alive. It is a living element that has good minerals and bacterium that feeds the plants that you grow. Therefore, if you take care of your soil...it will take care of you. Amend the soil with an all natural compost, you can grow cover crops in the fall of the year, you can till in roughage such as wheat or oat straw to help make your soil loamy and you can stop using chemical fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides which destroys the good bacterium in your soil. You can also prepare your soil in the way in which I describe in my book Simple Gardens Exposed and you will help build a soil to its ultimate abilities.

Now for the common sense approach to successful Tomato yields. The human make-up is to nurture. We do it with our children when they are babies. It's in our DNA. We want to make sure that a baby has everything it needs to grow up healthy and strong and productive; therefore, we nurture it. But sometimes we have a tendency to go a little to far.

Let's use an example or hypothesis of what I'm speaking of. If you were to have a child, and let's say that you carried that child constantly. You would never let it down because you were always affraid to let that baby crawl or learn to walk because of the fear you would have of it falling and getting hurt. Then by reason; you would have over-nurtured and done that child a great dis-service by never letting it strengthen its muscles and grow. Therefore, it's a possibility that your child would always be sickly and unable to care for itself. Even into adulthood.

I'm going to say that the Tomato is much the same way. We're so afraid that it's going to hurt itself, that it's going to take a fall and get a bruise or bump. We want to nurture that plant because we are afraid of the risks involved in its learning process. Here's my advice to you...leave the poor thing alone and let it learn to walk and crawl with minimal assistance. When a child is learning to walk, we might aid in that child's endeavor by holding its hands while its learning and gaining strength in its limbs, but eventually that child's instinct is going to take over so it can walk by itself.

If we do what is right for the soil, then that Tomato plant will have most all the assistance that it needs from us to prevail. But our nurturing instinct tells us that we have to water it, feed it, help support it all the way through its growing and producing life. And most of the time all we are doing is aiding in its ability to become sick.

If you take a look at all the disease's that can affect the Tomato, most of them is caused by our need to over nurture. Allow me to explain...

Problem: Plant producing more foliage than fruit.
Cause: To much Nitrogen/Lack of Calcium

Problem: Early Blight:
Cause: Usually to much water

Problem: Gray Leaf Spot
Cause: Usually from over-head watering

Problem: Verticilium Wilt
Cause: Lack of good bacteria in soil


Problem: Anthracnose
Cause: To much water/Over-head watering

Problem: Blossom End Rot
Cause: Not enough calcium/Phosphorous

Take a look at just a few of these diseases and causes. Most of the causes are because we are doing either to much nurturing or we're going about the nurturing in all the wrong way. Two of the most damaging reasons for sick Tomato's is because we haven't taken care of the soil properly, or we are watering incorrectly.

If you are using an over-head sprinkler system to water your Tomatoes...you are inviting disease and bugs. If you are watering properly-that is to say at the root or ground level, then you're watering correctly, but possibly to much.

I don't use over-head watering with none of my gardens, but especially the Tomato. Now you can't help it if it rains and the plants get wet. That, of course, is nature and you can't control that. However, if you do end up with a problem on your plants because of to much rain, then you can help out a little, but only if it's absolutely necessary.

My method of watering for many years now has been a drip irrigation system, but I'm very watchful not to over-water. I watch my plants and if I see that the foliage is just starting to droop a little, then I know that it's time to water. My drip emitters are 1 gph (gallons per hour) emitters, so I will water them for about an hour and then turn the water off. One gallon of water will do a large, healthy tomato plant for at least 4-5 days. Now if you are in extremely hot conditions...you will be different. But let your plants tell you when they are ready for water.

Now I always prep my soil to make sure that there is all the Nitrogen, Calcium and Phosphorous that my garden needs before I plant, but there is one thing that you can do for your plants that won't harm in any way.

Save your eggshells and throw them into a container that is stored out of the house. The garage would be good! Let the eggshells dry. Then when your plants just start to put on blossoms, take the eggshells and crush them up and bury them around your Tomato plants. They don't need to be deep. Just a couple of inch's should do it. Eggshells are full of Calcium. Putting the eggshells around your plants will give them a little Calcium injection which aids in the production and health of your fruit.

Now we might discuss when we might need to do a little more nurturing. The Tomato isn't unlike any other fruit tree. And of course I'm assuming that everyone knows that the Tomato is a fruit and not a vegetable. Fruit trees have to be pruned for maximum yield and so does the Tomato. They produce suckers that extract and take nutrients away from maximum fruit bearing potential. Suckers need to be removed. If you don' know how to accomplish this, then a great article by Frank Ferrandino can be very helpful and I would encourage you to visit his site.


There are times when your best efforts are somewhat detoured by the on-set of a rainy, moist, cool week and you see your plants become a little stressed. This is a time when they are susceptible to disease and predators. In aid to this condition the following is two natural recipes that have helped me and my Tomato's greatly. These two concoctions can be sprayed on your plants with great success.

Excessively wet plants can bring the on-set of Aphids. Here's a recipe that will help. Aphids and other bugs hate it.

2 cups water (preferably distilled)
1 cup dish soap
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 cup canola oil

Mix together into a garden sprayer and spray the plants. The oil helps to protect the plants from more moisture, the dish soap allows the solution to help stick to the plant and the Cayenne Pepper will give the bugs a very hot pallet. They don't like trying to eat the Cayenne.

This is a recipe that I have used on my fruit trees and garden plants for years and have been very happy with it. This helps to keep the scale off from my apples.

3 bulbs Garlic
1 small onion
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
2 gallons of water (filtered or distilled)
1/4 cup dish soap

Place the water into a large pan and bring to a boil. Peel and chop the Garlic and onion and add to the water. Boil for approximately twenty minutes. Remove from heat and add the canola oil, Cayenne Pepper and dish soap and let steep over night. Strain the liquid through some cheese cloth or old towel. When ready to use, add a half gallon of water per gallon of the solution and spray onto your plants.

This concoction will not only deter bugs, but will also help to protect the plants from disease. The Garlic acts as a anti-bacterial and helps to ward off disease. Both of these recipe's are great, but of course, the best solution is and always will be... prevention.

Take care of your soil, stop the over-head watering and excessive watering, clip off the suckers, if you smoke...wash your hands before you handle the toms and don't over-nurture your plants. Tomato's will tell you when they need your help, but if they don't tell you...then leave 'em alone.

There is a lot of information that I could continue to share here, but for lack of space...I'll call it good. But if you have any more questions like how to stop cut worms or how to build a drip irrigation system, then you can leave a comment on one of my blogs or contact me at simplegardens121@gmail.com

Good Luck & Great Gardening!