Lindsey Nair

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As an amateur gardener, I know that little is as exciting as seeing the first tiny, green tomatoes on the vine.

I also know the crushing disappointment of finding that those little gems are rotting on the bottom long before the first blush of pink ever kisses their shoulders.

Only two years into this new hobby, blossom-end rot is very near the top of my ... well, manure list. And I can only imagine that as home gardening gains in popularity, other novices are experiencing the same road block, or some pesky blight or insect infestation instead.

Everyone is encouraged to eat locally these days, and with the recession, that mantra has morphed into a call for victory gardens across the country. Who could blame a well-intentioned food lover for dreaming of cultivating her own juicy, sun-warmed tomatoes?

I planted my first four tomato plants last year, imagining thick slices piled with cottage cheese or homemade spaghetti sauce bubbling away on the stove. Both dreams came to fruition, thanks not to my own ratty plants but to friends and family who took pity on me and brought me their excess 'maters.

Undaunted (perhaps stupidly), I have this year put in 12 tomato plants. I figure even if I kill half of them, the other half ought to produce something.

Or maybe not.

My first lemon boy appeared on a strapping, healthy vine last week, and a few days later it was a half-green, half-brown boy instead. I'm sure the neighbors heard the cursing halfway down the block.

All of this goes to show that while home gardening may be hip, it isn't easy. If you're serious about it, you must do your research, learn from mistakes and know it's going to take a few years to master the task -- if you ever do.

"Some people will have what we call rookie luck," said Barry Robinson, the extension agent for Montgomery County. "This is especially the case when you go into fairly new ground where there hasn't been a garden before. Just realize that nature does some funny things."

Yes, nature can make a new gardener a tomato king and a 40-year veteran a complete failure in the same year.

Folks who are paralyzed by perfectionism might be better off heading to the farmers market to buy their produce. It'll cut down on stress and support some hard-working people who definitely know how to grow good veggies.

For those who, like me, refuse to give up on their gardening goals, I have three words: Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Every local extension agent is willing to help sort out plant problems, whether the caller is a farmer with 100 acres or a city slicker with four potted tomato plants -- it's their job. That's why I went to the VCE for answers about blossom-end rot and other common tomato afflictions, hoping to glean a little knowledge to help myself and readers.

The agents I talked to, including Robinson, said they've already started getting calls about problem plants. Fungal infections are particularly bad this year because we've had so much rain, they said.

In the chart above, I share what I've learned about tomato care. I urge you to also check out the additional literature on the Virginia Cooperative Extension Web site at www.ext.vt.edu. That's also where you can find the phone number for your local extension office.

When all else fails, as Andy Griffith once told Aunt Bee, just "call the man!"

Lindsey Nair's column runs in Wednesday's Extra.

Beating common tomato ailments

Any of these situations can occur in tomato plants, whether they are planted in the ground or containers. Keep a close eye on your plants and follow these steps to improve chances for healthy fruit.

BLOSSOM-END ROT

The cause: Calcium deficiency tied to inconsistent watering and/or fertilization

To diagnose: When fruits begin to form, check their undersides. If they begin to develop a brown "stain," or rotten-looking place, on the bottom, you've probably got blossom-end rot.

To treat: First, remove the affected tomatoes from the plant and discard. Periods of heavy watering interrupted by dry spells are a surefire way to get blossom-end rot. Make sure you water your plants consistently -- that is, at the same time and in the same amounts. Robinson suggests one gallon per day for young plants and two to three gallons per day for mature plants. The best time to water is early morning.

If that doesn't work, do a soil test for calcium deficiency. That can be righted by adding lime to the soil or buying a commercial spray.

Maintain a good fertilization schedule. Tomatoes should be fertilized every two weeks to once a month. Weekly fertilization of tomatoes is too much.

EARLY BLIGHT

The cause: A fungus

To diagnose: Early blight usually starts on the lower leaves of the plant. The leaves will develop brown lesions resembling targets that are one-eighth of an inch to a quarter-inch in diameter. As the blight progresses, the leaves may turn yellow and fall off, and the lesions may spread to the stems or the fruit.

To treat: First, pinch off any affected leaves you see and dispose of them away from the plant. Also remove any leaves that drag the ground and, when watering, avoid getting the leaves of the plant wet. The plants absorb water through the roots, and wet leaves only encourage fungal growth.

Look for a fungicide spray that has chlorothalonil, mancozeb or maneb as an active ingredient. If you are going organic, look for a spray with copper as an active ingredient.

SEPTORIA LEAF SPOT

The cause: A fungus

To diagnose: Septoria leaf spots are smaller than those caused by early blight. Instead of large, concentric circles, the leaf will have tiny spots scattered across it like bird shot.

To treat: See early blight. Other tomato disorders that can be treated with the same fungicides are late blight, gray mold, anthracnose and rhizoctonia leaf rot.

NITROGEN DEFICIENCY

The cause: Not enough of the important nutrient

To diagnose: The lower leaves will yellow, but there will be no apparent spots.

To treat: Maintain a good fertilization schedule (see blossom-end rot).

TOMATO HORN WORM

The cause: Annoying green caterpillars that feast on tomato plants

To diagnose: Portions of leaves will be eaten away. You can search the plant and find these little buggers crawling on it.

To treat: A good organic remedy is to simply pluck the worms off your plants. There are usually not enough to warrant pesticide use.