Garden Assessment: Winners & Losers - PT 1

By: Ron Cusano           Sept.. 18, 2010                             Vol. 2  Article 1018

   I would like to tell you that everything I do in the garden turns out perfect, and I never have any problems or failures.  And, if you believed that, I have a bridge I would like to sell you cheap!  The fact is, we deal with so many variables in the garden, and the uncertainty of nature, that we all have successes and failures. I am no exception, even with almost 50 years of gardening and farming experience behind me.
     Over the next few articles, I want to tell you about my “winners” and “losers”, in some detail, what caused problems and what I can do to correct it for next season.
   Tomatoes: My cherry tomatoes were a big success!  This year I planted a variety called “Sweet Baby Girl” sold by Gurneys Seeds. It was the first time I have planted this variety, but it won’t be the last. The plants grew tall, to about 5’, produced early and kept on producing all Summer, in spite of some damage from Verticillium  Wilt, a nasty soil disease. The vines are pretty much spent now, but what are left are still producing.  I got great yields all season.
     My “Better Boy” also sold by Gurney Seeds and most other good seedsman, was another story. They were hit really hard by the Verticillium Wilt, survived after treatment with Actinovate sold by Johnny’s Selected Seeds, but most of the fruit was stunted and limited.  The disease lingers in the soil for years, and with the chronic wet weather for the previous past few seasons, has become a serious problem in my garden, and many others from what I have heard.
     So what can I do to fix the problem for next year!  The Actinovate is a great anti-fungal that almost stops the disease cold once applied, and needs repeated applications every couple of
weeks. But, by the time you realize you are being attacked by the disease, serious damages to the root system has already been done. The goal then needs to be  to keep the disease from taking hold in the first place.
   Johnny’s Selected Seeds also sells another product called “Root Shield” that you apply to seedlings after germination, and also treat the soil area when you set them out. It is supposed to put a “shield” around the roots that keeps the fungus form effecting the plant in the first place.
The only problem is, while the product can be sold almost everywhere, it cannot be sold here in New York or Canada.  Why you ask?  Not a clue!
     It also only has a shelf life of about 6-month. As far as I know, there is no law against using it in NY, only selling it in NY, so I plan to have a relative from another state order me some for me around January or February to use on the seedlings that I start indoors. It is an organic beneficial fungus that causes no harm to the soil or to people, so I have no issue using it, and following only the letter of the law.  The Verticillium Wilt has caused serious problems for many of my crops, so short of not planting for a few years, this seems like a sensible and productive solution!

Blessings,

Ron
“The Garden Guy”