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Tomato-Blossom End Rot
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 17 - 8:37 pm
- I'm just starting to see fruit on my tomato vines, but unfortunately they look to already be developing blossom end rot. I'm using a mixture of organic soil with fertilizer and perlite, and I'm not sure if the plant is salvageable. What can I do to help this plant? And what advice can you give for other tomato plants to prevent this blossom end rot? Is there something I can apply early on to prevent this? Thanks!
- Hello there, This is a pretty standard issue with tomatoes. Generally, the cause is inconsistent watering and/or a calcium deficiency. So the first step would be to establish a consistent level of watering for your plants. Of course, Mother Nature plays a role here as well, you can't control that. If you're sure that watering is not the problem, then you need to think about calcium. Without testing the soil you won't know the level of deficiency. But if you want to proceed, there is a short-term fix. I haven't tried this myself because the cause for me was generally a watering issue, but you can spray the plant with a calcium solution. That will buy you some time to increase the calcium content in your soil. There may be enough calcium in the soil but the ph of the soil may be preventing the plant from absorbing it. I don't understand all the chemistry of this but soil ph is the root of plant happiness. A ph of around 6.5 will do. Try adding some fast-acting lime (don't use dolomitic lime) and working that into the soil about 12 inches deep.The lime frees up the calcium from the soil. As I said previously about chemistry....This is a time-honored practice so it should work for you if, in fact, you find that watering is not the problem. If you would like to have a soil profile done, please let us know and we can send you a soil test request kit. Good luck with the tomato harvest!
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Japanese Holly Dieback
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 17 - 8:37 pm
- There is a hedge at the front of my property. Someone years ago told me they are Japanese hollies. I found a tag on a bush in the back yard which I believe is the same plant--it's Ilex crenata 'Bennett's Compacta'. They had been very healthy and growing almost too well for nearly 12 years until this spring when one bush turned brown in a matter of days. I cut out all the brown and there is some new growth near the base, but I have 2 questions; 1. What are likely causes of the die-back? 2. What are the chances that this will affect the other bushes? Since it's the front of the property it's already unsightly--looks like a missing tooth--but I don't want to replace the one diseased bush in the row if they could all be in jeopardy. Thanks for your help. Shelley
- Hello there, Without seeing the plant and the place it's situated, my best guess about the origin of the dieback is black root rot. I am attaching a link here from Virginia Tech with an information sheet. It's a tough problem. If you believe that's why your shrub succumbed and since the hedge has served you well for 12 years, it may be time to replace it. Of course, any replacement would have to be a variety that will not be susceptible to this root rot. Let us know if you have further questions. Best of luck.
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Boxwood with patches of brown leaves
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 17 - 8:35 pm
- I just bought a house and I have a boxwood bush in the front that has patches of brown leaves. Is this that blight that I've heard people talking about? would it be a good idea to remove the bush or is there something I can do?
- Thanks for your question. This does sound like it could potentially be boxwood blight which is a fungal disease, and for which there is no cure. This disease first appears as lesions with dark brown edges on the leaves and black streaking on the stems. The foliage then turns brown and falls off. Observe the leaves and stems on your boxwood for these signs. If your plant is minimally affected, you can cut off affected branches, clean up debris from the ground, bag the trimmings, and put in the trash (do not compost). You may then be able to keep the disease at bay by spraying a chlorothalonil-containing fungicide every 7-14 days. Be sure and sanitize your garden tools with a 1:9 bleach to water solution to avoid spreading the disease. If your boxwood is heavily infected and unsightly, it may be easiest and safest in the long run to remove the whole plant. It’s also important to know that the spores from the infected plant can remain in the soil for 5-6 years, so if you want a replacement plant be sure and select a boxwood cultivar with a high level of resistance which will not require a fungicide treatment.