July 14, 2008 12:12 pm
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It’s a great year for tomato leaf blight, which is caused by septoria fungus.
It begins as small black spots on lowest leaves on a tomato plant. The spores get a yellow halo and then the leaf dries and falls.
The fungus then moves up the plant. A lot of rain and high humidity complicates the fungus situation, leaving tomatoes vulnerable to sunburn.
Fungicides are protective measures. The spray does not help infected leaves. You can move ahead of its spread by spraying every 10 to 14 days or immediately after heavy rain.
Dry weather would slow the blight unless you use an overhead sprinkler to water plants late in the day, which is a big help to the blight, said Jacob Weber, a Kansas State University Extension horticulturist in Southeast Kansas.
The blight does not live in soil. It is a fungus that lives in debris in the garden.
Its spores move in the air. Each fall, rake and burn or burn deeply all debris on the garden to slow its spread. In order to enable more air circulation, do not crowd tomato plants.
Questions answered at county extension centers:
Q: When should I plant and what should I plant in a fall garden?
A: Later this month and into August. Some options are turnips, green beans, spinach, lettuce, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower and radish.
Q: Can I save seeds from peaches, plums, watermelon and cantaloupe to plant?
A: Most fruit and vegetable varieties are hybrids; that means saving seed is not such a good idea. It is better to buy watermelon and cantaloupe seed and fruit trees so you will know the variety.
Q: How successful is it to plant clover into native prairie?
A: There is more chance of success keeping them in different fields. There are always exceptions.
Q: Where can I get information on planting asparagus?
A: Your county extension center or online at http://muextension. missouri.edu/xplor.
Q: What can I do to control ticks on my cattle?
A: There is no recommendation for the best pesticide for specific tick control. Products that control flies will give some help.
Q: Where can I get answers to specific garden questions?
A: Master Gardeners are at extension centers in Jasper and Barton counties.
Q: How much nitrogen fertilizer do I need to apply after each hay cutting of Bermuda grass?
A: The recommended rate is 50 pounds per acre.
Q: When is the McDonald County Fair?
A: July 17-19 on the grounds of McDonald County High School at Anderson. All classes and types of livestock are judged from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 18.
Telephone numbers of area county extension centers:
Barton (417) 682-3579
Cherokee (620) 429-3849
Crawford (620) 724-8233
Jasper (417) 358-2158
Lawrence (417) 466-3102
McDonald (417) 223-4775
Newton (417) 455-9500
Ottawa (918) 542-1688
Vernon (417) 448-2560
Address correspondence to Mike Surbrugg, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802 or e-mail msurbrugg@joplinglobe.com.
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