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Trudi · May 31, 2006

Hi Kamper,

I don't have problems with bugs because I grow a large variety of flowers in my tomato beds, actually every-other space in the bed is planted with flowers or flowering herbs, and I also use old-fashioned trailing petunias for groundcover. The flowers do more than make the garden pretty, they attract beneficial insects and those control the bad bugs. In the last five years I've only seen two hornworms and those were both studded with wasp larvae.

I do not use any sprays or chems to control bugs--it's a horrible idea as the sprays will kill the beneficial insects. Because I have a few feet of spacing between my tom plants there is good airflow--airborne diseases do still occur with some plants that are prone to that, but it is at a minimum amount. Soilborne diseases aren't a big problem either as I amend the soil yearly with compost and grass clippings and rotate my tomato positions in the beds. The spots that had toms last year have flowering plant this year. Having a healthy growing envirnment with moisture retaining soil and adequate airflow is very important to having healthy plants. Selecting toms with resistance to your regional tomato diseases is going to increase your chances for success.

If I ever have a plant with serious health problems I control the problem by yanking the plant. Several years back I had to yank one that would wilt in midday sun--out it went and I never missed it. I have a few dozen tomato varieties here as well as the rest of the garden to tend, so annoyance plants get the heave-ho immediately. A sickly plant won't be missed, I don't have to give it TLC--which I don't do with ANY plant here (uggghh! that's extra work) and I don't emperil the rest of the plants in the garden by keeping a diseased or weak and pest ridden plant which can A) infect other plants and B) pass its inadequate genetics onto a next generation. Immediate culling assures that infections and infestations have a limited/nil chance to spread and the next generation may not be weakened by genetically passed susceptibility.

I'm glad you liked the photos. I'll be doing many more this coming year ;-)

Kindly,

Trudi Davidoff
WinterSown.Org

May 31, 2006	#3
Trudi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: East Meadow, Long Island Posts: 139	Hi Kamper, I don't have problems with bugs because I grow a large variety of flowers in my tomato beds, actually every-other space in the bed is planted with flowers or flowering herbs, and I also use old-fashioned trailing petunias for groundcover. The flowers do more than make the garden pretty, they attract beneficial insects and those control the bad bugs. In the last five years I've only seen two hornworms and those were both studded with wasp larvae. I do not use any sprays or chems to control bugs--it's a horrible idea as the sprays will kill the beneficial insects. Because I have a few feet of spacing between my tom plants there is good airflow--airborne diseases do still occur with some plants that are prone to that, but it is at a minimum amount. Soilborne diseases aren't a big problem either as I amend the soil yearly with compost and grass clippings and rotate my tomato positions in the beds. The spots that had toms last year have flowering plant this year. Having a healthy growing envirnment with moisture retaining soil and adequate airflow is very important to having healthy plants. Selecting toms with resistance to your regional tomato diseases is going to increase your chances for success. If I ever have a plant with serious health problems I control the problem by yanking the plant. Several years back I had to yank one that would wilt in midday sun--out it went and I never missed it. I have a few dozen tomato varieties here as well as the rest of the garden to tend, so annoyance plants get the heave-ho immediately. A sickly plant won't be missed, I don't have to give it TLC--which I don't do with ANY plant here (uggghh! that's extra work) and I don't emperil the rest of the plants in the garden by keeping a diseased or weak and pest ridden plant which can A) infect other plants and B) pass its inadequate genetics onto a next generation. Immediate culling assures that infections and infestations have a limited/nil chance to spread and the next generation may not be weakened by genetically passed susceptibility. I'm glad you liked the photos. I'll be doing many more this coming year ;-) Kindly, Trudi Davidoff WinterSown.Org __________________ When Hell freezes over the Devil will Winter Sow.