Why are tomatoes grown using plastic mulch?
Plastic mulch is used for two main reasons: earliness and water relations. Plastic mulch helps maintain heat in the soil and increases the rate of plant growth. The first tomatoes to hit the market get the best prices. Using mulch can shorten the interval from planting to harvest by as much as one week if the sun shines. Plastic mulch also helps prevent evaporation form the soil. A more even moisture regime helps prevent blossom end rot.
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There’s nothing as divine as a homegrown tomato. I’m a sucker for a tomato sandwich or a BLT during summer.
Tomatoes are a popular crop for home gardeners, but they can be tricky to grow. Insects, disorders, and diseases can all cause problems with tomatoes.
Common Diseases of TomatoesCRYSTAL SPRINGS, Miss. -- Conditions have been ideal this summer for a disease outbreak that makes tomatoes wilt and look like they are just too dry.
Southern blight is a fungal disease of tomatoes commonly characterized by white, thread-like growth and brown or tan, round structures known as sclerotia at the base of the stem.
Greenhouse tomato growers and other interested individuals are invited to attend the 28th annual Mississippi Greenhouse Tomato Short Course March 6-7.
MISSISSIPPI STATE – While nothing may beat the fresh taste of a home-grown tomato, a lot of things can go wrong in the garden to prevent the fruit from ever making it to the table.
Garden experts say tomato plants should be watered well, fertilized correctly, grown in direct sunlight and spaced properly so their leaves stay as dry as possible.
David Nagel, vegetable and home garden specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, listed three common problems that can plague tomato plants.