Ramsey County

August 7, 2006

Howdy!!
What a past week it has been!!!  First off a little rain in part of the county with other areas still needing rain, the garden is winding down and the fish are still biting.  Deb and I also attended a good friends’ (K.O.) wedding on Friday and Saturday.  The two days were very relaxing and great, great fun.  We did stay at the Manohmen casino so that offered, to some, another opportunity to spend some additional dollars over the weekend.  I even played a little and turned out o.k. The reception was held at Becky’s folks lake home and what a wonder setting for a garden reception.  The best part was not only the joining of two great friends, but also getting to see and visit with old classmates and friends.  Many old stories were revisited about the past and all the dumb things our kids and K.O.’s kids used to do growing up.  Kellen still laughs at the stories of the yesterday even the shooting a hole in the transmission in his dad’s pickup.

Tomatoes continued!!!!
I should explain to some what I wrote about last week.  Tomato blossom end rot is a disorder that is a common tomato problem, in this area.  The disorder first appears on green fruits as a water soaked spot on the blossom end of the fruit. This spot enlarges in size and is sunken, dark brown to black in color and has a leathery texture. Blossom end rot is not a disease and is not contagious. It is caused by fluctuations in soil moisture, excessive nitrogen fertilizer or root damage. Blossom end rot can be controlled by using a balanced fertilizer, hoeing carefully to avoid root damage, regular watering in dry weather and by using mulch to help maintain a more uniform soil moisture.

Sun scald is another tomato fruit problem. The first symptom is a light spot on the side of green fruits facing the sun. Later the area blisters; and finally a large, flattened, grayish-white spot develops. The surface of the spot is dry and papery. Other diseases may invade this area, causing it to darken.  Sun scald is caused by a sudden loss of leaves or any other change that suddenly exposes the fruits to the sun. Leaf spot diseases frequently cause a rapid yellowing and loss of leaves. Tying up plants to stakes may also cause sudden exposure of fruits to the sun.

I should also mention that bush celebrity is a determinate plant, which means that the plant will produce so many fruit and then retire.  There are others that are indeterminate, which means, flower and produce fruit until the bitter end (most common tomato would be the cherry tomato).

So on with the description of tomatoes.  I am getting a little long today so will only be able to talk about one tomato variety.  Early Girl is a medium sized plant in my garden compared to the others.  Early Girl is not as bushy of a plant and grows to about 2 foot tall.  I did not have a tomato variety in my garden that did not need staking.  Early Girl did not seem to have near the Tomato blossom end rot as the others.  I was eating tomatoes from Early Girl about the same time the first cherry tomatoes happened along.  A very good eating tomato 

524 4th Ave NE #5, 2nd Floor Ramsey County Courthouse
Devils Lake  ND  58301
701-662-7027
email - ramsey@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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