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Growing Tomatoes in Colorado!
It all starts in the Soil!
• Amend your soil so it has a great amount of organic matter.
• Add the Ultimate Potting mix if needed.
• Work it in the top 4 to 6 inches!
• Add Soil Activator and water it in!
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Don’t Plant too Early!
• Tomato plants need night temperature above 32°F and daytime temperatures above 60°F. They are killed by a light frost. A week of cool daytime temperatures (below 55°F) will stunt plants and reduce yields.
• Get a Jump start by warming up the soil.– Fabric – Hot Caps, Wall‐o‐Waters, Grow Covers
Plant Early, Plant Often!
Planting!
• Avoid, unnecessary contact with the Soil!
• Don’t be afraid of tall, “leggy” plants!– Pinch off lower branches– Dig a trench, small mound under.– You’ll get more roots and more fruit!
• Plant and Mulch, all in the same day.
Support and Prune!• Stake or Cage your Tomatoes to keep them from touching the ground and to allow light to penetrate evenly throughout the plant.
• Prune at planting to keep leaves from touching the ground.
• Prune suckers to increase light and Yield.
Tomato CagesCages that are not cleaned can harbor the spores for many types of fungus and bacteria.Remove all plant debris.Hose off all remaining dirt.
Clean with Consan 20
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Mulch!• Mulch is recommended to conserve soil moisture and manage weeds.
• Mulching helps reduce the splashing of Early Blight fungal spores from the soil onto the leaves.
• Black Fabric is popular, warming the soil and pushing production two to three weeks earlier.– When using fabric, plant early so leaf growth covers and shades the fabric before summer heat sets in.
• Use Organic Mulch– Improves the soil every year.
They Don’t Like Water on Them!
• Avoid overhead sprinkling on Tomatoes.• Water on the leaves creates a favorable environment for disease development.– Fungus spores are easily water‐splashed from one leaf to another.
• Encourages Fruit Cracking.• Watering in the morning, allowing plants to dry before nighttime, may also be helpful.
• NO on Sprinklers.• Yes on Drip irrigation, soaker hose or trench
Fertilizer• Colorado State recommends two times and types of fertilizer.– At or near planting 2 or 3 applications of a high Phosphorous water soluble fertilizer, such as Blooming and Rooting.
– Again when the first fruit are about two inches around. At this time a granular fertilizer such as Tomato Vegetable Food is recommended. Repeat every 3 to 4 weeks as needed.
– Don’t OVER fertilizer use the proper amount.
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Early Blight Spots form on leaves, having
concentric rings, resulting in a “target” appearance.
Premature loss of lower leaves is the most obvious symptom of the disease.
Brown to black spots with dark edges, appear on the lower leaves.
Leaves turn yellow and dry up when only a few spots are present.
The fungus occasionally attacks fruit at the stem end, causing large, sunken areas with concentric rings.
Warm, wet weather favors the rapid spread of early blight, it can also infect potato.
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Septoria Leaf spot
The most common foliar disease of tomatoes. It first appears as small, water‐soaked spots
that soon become circular spots. The lesions gradually develop grayish white centers with dark edges. Fungal fruiting bodies appear as tiny black specks in the centers of the spots. Spores are spread to new leaves by splashing rain. Heavily infected leaves turn yellow, wither, and eventually fall off. Lower leaves are infected first, and the disease progresses upward if rainy
weather persists or from overhead watering. The fungus survives the winter in tomato debris.
Blossom end rot
Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency that is related to wide fluctuations in available moisture and from plants “resting” when soil temps are too cool.
To prevent blossom end rot, maintain a steady rate of plant growth without stress.
A consistent and ample supply of moisture can reduce the problem by helping to maintain a steady flow of calcium from the soil to the fruit. Mulching will also help conserve moisture.
Do not plant before Avg. last frost, preferably 2 weeks after.
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23Tomato & Pepper Set
Contains: Cytokinin
• Use on Tomatoes and other fruit crops to promote blossom set and fruit development.
• Also use on; Beans, Cucumbers, Eggplants,Melons, Peppers, Strawberries and Grapes.
• Apply at first bloom and repeat every 7 to 14 days
• Focus spray on and around blossom, targeting the area just behind the bloom where attached to the stem.
• Results are larger, meatier fruit that ripen up to 3 weeks earlier.
Poor Blossom Set
Sun Scald Sunscald occurs on green tomato fruit exposed to the sun.
The initial symptom is a whitish, shiny area that appears blistered.
The killed, bleached tissues gradually collapse, forming a slightly sunken area that may become pale yellowish and wrinkled as the fruit ripens.
The killed tissue is quickly invaded by secondary organisms and the fruit decays.
Plants most subject to sunscald are those that have been exposed suddenly to the sun because of pruning, natural spreading of the plant caused by a heavy fruit load, or loss of foliage from diseases.
Leaf Roll Physiological leaf roll occurs when the edges of the leaves roll upward and inward.
Sometimes the curling continues until the leaf margins from either side touch or overlap.
Some leaves on the plant may not exhibit rolling.
Leaf roll does not reduce plant growth, yield, or fruit quality.
It is believed to result from irregular water supply, and may be intensified following pruning.
The symptoms are sometimes temporary, disappearing after a few days, but can persist throughout the growing season.
Herbicide Damage
This is caused by misapplication or drift of 2,4-D, MCPP, and other growth regulator herbicides. Tomato plants are highly sensitive to these chemicals. The first symptom is downward curling of leaves and tips of growing points. Leaves often become narrow and twisted toward the tip, with prominent, light-colored
veins. The symptoms are most pronounced on portions of the plant that were actively
growing when the exposure occurred. In severe cases, stems and petioles become thick, stiff, and brittle with warty
outgrowths. Affected plants may recover, but the fruit may become cat-faced or develop in a plum
shape, and may be hollow and seedless.
Tomato Hornworm6
Flea Beetles6
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Spidermites7
Sanitation
• Control weeds and grasses around Tomatoes, they harbor many insects and sap much needed nutrients.
• Clean up debris every Fall and remove, DON’T compost dead Tomato Plants.
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