Container Gardening: Chapter Three
INSECTS, FUNGI, AND FOOD
This is just an update on actions I've taken recently. I think the tomato was suffering a nitrogen deficiency, so I have fed it MiracleGro tomato food because I wanted some independent measurement not my own. I have also pruned the tomato.
I made a soap spray (soap, not detergent!) with 2 tbsp. liquid soap, 1 qt. water, and several cups of garlic/red pepper extract made by adding boiling water to a container with garlic and pepper in it. This is supposed to act as an insecticide.
I have sprayed the tomato with hydrogen peroxide, which is supposed to prevent/treat blight. I thought blight was soil-borne because everything I read warns to rotate crops or pasteurize your soil to rid it of blight that has over-wintered in the ground. Turns out, the most common blights are actually airborne fungi that cling to wet leaves. The tomato stayed wet for a couple of days a few weeks ago when we had storms, and I did not know I should have applied an anti-fungal agent. So I have now.
If this thing does not make fruit starting in late July like it's supposed to, I'm going to scream. But I'm determined to only apply pesticides that you can safely rinse down a sink drain. You can't do that with the commercial chemicals. In fact, you can't even throw away the container of the commercial chemicals if there is any liquid left in it! It's THAT TOXIC!
Cross your fingers for the continuing health of my tomato plant!
This is just an update on actions I've taken recently. I think the tomato was suffering a nitrogen deficiency, so I have fed it MiracleGro tomato food because I wanted some independent measurement not my own. I have also pruned the tomato.
I made a soap spray (soap, not detergent!) with 2 tbsp. liquid soap, 1 qt. water, and several cups of garlic/red pepper extract made by adding boiling water to a container with garlic and pepper in it. This is supposed to act as an insecticide.
I have sprayed the tomato with hydrogen peroxide, which is supposed to prevent/treat blight. I thought blight was soil-borne because everything I read warns to rotate crops or pasteurize your soil to rid it of blight that has over-wintered in the ground. Turns out, the most common blights are actually airborne fungi that cling to wet leaves. The tomato stayed wet for a couple of days a few weeks ago when we had storms, and I did not know I should have applied an anti-fungal agent. So I have now.
If this thing does not make fruit starting in late July like it's supposed to, I'm going to scream. But I'm determined to only apply pesticides that you can safely rinse down a sink drain. You can't do that with the commercial chemicals. In fact, you can't even throw away the container of the commercial chemicals if there is any liquid left in it! It's THAT TOXIC!
Cross your fingers for the continuing health of my tomato plant!