Tomato Dirt Newsletter
Volume 14, Number 11

Dear Tomato Dirt reader,

Welcome back to Tomato Dirt! A couple times a month, we’ll send you this newsletter packed with tips about growing tomatoes and using them.

80+ Free Tutorials to Help You ID Garden Pests and Diseases

Slugs … deer … beetles. Or is it tomato rot or blight that’s attacking your crops?

Identifying the problem is the first step in finding an earth-friendly way to reduce — or even eliminate — the damage caused by garden pests and diseases.

Our friends at Gardener’s Supply have created a directory of garden pests to help you identify your gardener’s invaders.

And GS expert gardeners also has a helpful list of diseases to look out for, including more than 80 quick tutorials to show you what to do when your plants are under attack.

Hop on over to the directory of garden pests or the listing of 80+ quick tutorials to discover your garden’s problems. And bookmark those pages for later!

NEW! Check for tomato growing tips each day on our Facebook page

Here’s the dirt: Tomato Dirt’s long-standing Facebook page was recently hacked. For your safety and privacy, we closed it. But never fear! We’ve started a new page with good security.

You’re invited to like the page and get plenty of tomato growing tips. And please share the new page with other gardeners you know!

Hop on over to Facebook and click “Like” right now, while you’re thinking about it.

FEATURE: Look for These 3 Tomato Problems Early in the Season

Image: Tomato Dirt

Even the most diligent gardener can’t control tomato problems in the garden! While healthy tomato plants don’t always start, stay, or end that way, problems needn’t be a death sentence for plants. Most can be halted or reversed.

Especially when you catch problems early in the aseson.

Here are three tomato problems to look out for.

1. Tomato cutworms. Tomato worms, or more specifically cutworms, gobble up stems of tomato seedlings. They work mostly at night to do their damage, cutting off seedlings at the soil line. You can take precautions by …

2. Blossom drop. Normally, a tomato blossom is pollinated and then fruit develops. This is called “setting fruit.” But sometimes, a healthy tomato plant flowers, its blossoms drop, and no fruit develops. This is called “blossom drop.” It's a result of plant stress or poor pollination. You can help blossoms along by …

3. Bumps on tomato stems. Most of the time, bumpy tomato stems are not harmful to plants and are considered normal. Bumps start as hundreds of tiny hairs up and down the stalk. Hairs can turn into roots when buried underground. Above ground, they form tiny nubs or nodules, also called …

Best Tips for Growing Tomatoes: Bestseller in 89 Countries

You’ll be able to diagnose pest and disease problems using step by step priceless information, illustrated with 260 full color photos.

Get the book and you’ll also get 6 free bonuses, including the Family Tomato Cookbook and a database of 1300 varieties of tomatoes. More details here.

Tomato Growing Tip: What Are Those Bumps on My Tomato Stems?

Image: Tomato Dirt

Get more tips for growing tomatoes on our Tomato Growing Tips Pinterest board.

Danger: Don't Let Your Tomatoes Get Thirsty

Hoses, nozzles, drip irrigation, water timers, rain gauges, soaker systems, watering cans, rain urns … check out all kinds of watering gadgets with our good friends at Gardener’s Supply.

This is the GS page where you can get all the different kinds of watering gear you need for your garden. It's so much fun to browse around. And if you find something at a bargain price - well, go for it!

Plus, they donate 8% of their profits to home and garden improvement programs.

But apart from all that good stuff, their watering gadgets and irrigation supplies are quality products that will last season after season. Check them out here.

Prevent Early Season Tomato Problems