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Walker County Master Gardener Educational Series. Tomatoes and Potatoes Gardening Presented by Butch Maywald and Susan Moran. How to be a Green Thumb Gardener. Select Recommended Varieties. Plant at the Right Time. Proper Soil Preparation and Fertilization.
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Walker County Master Gardener Educational Series Tomatoes and Potatoes Gardening Presented by Butch Maywald and Susan Moran
How to be a Green Thumb Gardener Select Recommended Varieties. Plant at the Right Time. Proper Soil Preparation and Fertilization. Control Weeds, Diseases and Insects. Adequate Soil Moisture. Harvest at the Right Time .
Ideal Garden Location • Receives 8 + hours of sunlight. • Soil has good internal and external drainage. • Free of competition from other large plants, buildings, etc. • Near a source of water. • Visible!
Soil Preparation Have a soil test run. Incorporate plenty of organic matter. Good drainage. Add nutrients if necessary.
Mulching Materials • Compost • Leaves • Pine Needles • Hay • Grass Clippings • Paper • Plastic
Cultural Practices Reduce Pesticide Use Healthy Soils Resistant Varieties Planting Time Proper Watering Soil Fertility Sanitation Weed Control Diverse Planting Crop Rotation Plant Spacing
Integrated Pest Management Provide plants with the best care and culture possible. Use only the most adapted varieties. If chemical (organic or man-made) control is necessary start with the most environmentally friendly products first. Apply chemicals, (organic or man-made) properly, safely and according to the label.
Plant Adapted Varieties Brandywine Heirlooms
Tomato TrialsA Few Master Gardener Favorites • Heirloom Brandywine Cherokee Purple German Johnson Persimmon (yellow) • Paste • Viva Italia • La Rossa • Enchantment Standard Slicer Celebrity Champion President Dona Beefmaster Better Boy • Grape/Cherry Baxter’s Early Bush Sweet 100 Sweet Chelsea Yellow Pear
Plant mid March-April Resistant varieties – VFNT Protect from freeze Apply a weekly foliar spray of a water soluble fertilizer Work in 2-3 Tbsp of high N fertilizer (ammonium sulfate, blood meal, bat guano) when 1st cluster of fruit forms Pollination ceases and flowers drop when nighttime temps go above mid-70’s, or below 50’s Tomatoes Sweet Baby Girl Juliet
Dig about a 4 inch hole, and sprinkle in ¼ - ½ cup of complete slow release fertilizer
Wrap cages with row cover Space cages 2 feet apart Gives a few degrees of frost protection Protects young plants from wind damage Protects from insects Remove when plants begin to flower
Blossom End Rot Causes: • Irregular soil moisture – too much or not enough • Calcium deficiency in soil • Poor calcium absorption • Temperature fluctuations Treatment: • Regular, deep water (do not let soil dry out) • Raised beds for drainage • Mulch soil
Potatoes Plant on Valentine’s Day Cool season crop: warm days (75 - 85oF), long days (16 - 18 hrs), cool nights (50 - 60oF), optimum mean 60 - 65oF. Use certified seed potato 2-3 oz pieces with 2-3 eyes Plant in trench, 4-6” deep Well drained, sandy loam, loamy sand, or sandy clay loam with pH 6.0 - 7.8 7 - 10 in-row on 34 - 40" raised beds. Hill soil up around stems (tubers form laterally from stem) Dig in 90-120 days (or sooner for new potatoes) Wipe off but do no not wash before storing
Good Potato Varieties • Russet • Russet Norkotah, Norgold M, Century Russet • White • Atlantic, Gemchip, Chipeta, Kennebec • Yellow Flesh • Yukon Gold • Red • Red LaSoda, Viking, Dark Red Norland, Sangre
Potato Diseases • Major Diseases • Control • Seed piece decay • Certified seed, dust immediately after cutting with captan, maneb, Maxim, Polyram • Blackleg (bacteria) • Certified seed • Early blight • Bravo, Endura, Gem, Headline, mancozeb, Polyram, Quadris, Rovral, Super Tin • Late blight • Acrobat, Bravo, Curzate, Gavel, mancozeb, Omega, Previcur Flex, Polyram • Tuber rot • Avoid poorly drained soils • Nematode • K-Pam, Mocap, Telone II, Telone C-17
Potato Pests • Major Insects • Control • Leafhopper and Psyllid • Actara/Platinum, Admire, Asana, Baythroid, dimethoate, Di-Syston, endosulfan, permethrin, Provado, Sevin, Thimet, Vydate • Aphid • Admire, diazinon, dimethoate, endosulfan, Fulfill, Monitor, Provado, Vydate • European Corn Borer • Avaunt, Asana, Baythroid, B.t.'s, Furadan, Lannate, Penncap-M, Spintor • Colorado potato beetle • Actara/Platinum, Admire, Agri-mek, Avaunt, endosulfan, Guthion, Imidan, Novodor, Provado, Spintor • Mite • Omite, Vydate
Leafhopper and Psyllid Leafhopper Psyllid
What is LEAF-PRO? The LEAF-PRO project is an educational outreach effort designed to demonstrate and promote educated, ecologically responsible decision making through home landscape practices. This program was designed in Walker county to work in conjunction with the Texas A&M Earthkind program.
Objectives of LEAF-PRO (Protection Reduction Outreach) • Protection of our Environment • Reduction of Solid Waste • Outreach Education
More Information Aggie Horticulture website: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu http://insect.tamu.edu/fieldguide/ Walker County AgriLife Extension Service Phone:936-435-2426 Master Gardeners www.walkercountymastergardener.org Seed catalogs Huntsville Public Library
Questions? http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu www.walkercountymastergardener.org The End