by johnah on November 24, 2020
Disease-resistant tomatoes are not only good for consumers but they are also useful for farmers because it reduces the cost of growing and harvesting them. For example, if a farmer grows a variety with disease resistance, he will save money in buying new seed every year. Also, when the tomato plant is damaged or destroyed during harvest season, then there is no need to pay expensive labor costs to replace the lost crop.
Tomato varieties with disease resistance are available in many colors, shapes and sizes. Some of these include red, yellow, orange, purple and blue.
They come from all over the world including Africa, Asia and Europe. There are several types of disease resistant tomatoes. These include:
• Red and Yellow – These two tomato varieties have been developed to resist various kinds of leaf spot, which causes yellowing leaves. They are very popular among home gardeners because they produce large quantities of fruit at one time.
• Purple and Blue – Both these varieties have been developed to withstand powdery mildew (a fungal infection), which causes brown spots on the skin and inside the fruit.
• Yellow, Orange and Red – These varieties of tomatoes resist cracking, which means that they will not split open during periods of hot and cold temperature changes.
The above types of disease-resistant tomatoes can be found at most garden centers. If you have a large vegetable garden, then it is a good idea to plant several different types of disease-resistant tomatoes.
This is to prevent your entire crop from being wiped out by a disease outbreak.
When disease-resistant tomatoes are properly cared for, they can be very rewarding. Many tomato lovers enjoy eating home grown disease-resistant tomatoes more than store bought ones.
We hope you have found this article to be helpful. To read more about tomato disease resistance chart please check out the next section of this page.
Many consumers do not realize that disease-resistant tomatoes are not only good for them but also good for the environment. Most people think that disease resistance means ugly tomatoes.
However, this is not true. Disease-resistant tomatoes come in all different shapes, sizes and colors. It is just that they may not be as aesthetically pleasing as non-disease-resistant types.
One reason why it is best to grow disease-resistant tomatoes is to protect the environment. When purchasing non-disease-resistant seeds, a purchaser must realize that these seeds have been chemically treated (with pesticides).
To protect the seeds and produce, these seeds have to be grown in a completely sterile environment.
When a consumer plants these non-disease-resistant seeds, the soil will most likely not be sterile. The pesticide that was used on the non-disease-resistant seeds will most likely kill all the soil bacteria and fungus which are necessary for a healthy soil.
So in essence, the soil will be “sterilized”.
The best way to grow non-disease-resistant seeds is to first sterilize the soil and then plant the seeds. This process involves putting several sheets of newspaper on the ground, then spraying them with a gentle mist of water.
After this step is complete, grow lights are usually put 12 inches above the newspaper sheets. The lights are left on for 24 hours a day. After several days, the newspaper sheets will be brown and crispy. At this point, non-disease-resistant seeds may be planted in the soil. After the seedlings appear, the grow lights are no longer necessary.
This method of growing non-disease-resistant plants may seem tedious and unnecessary to some gardeners. However, if you think about it, it makes perfect sense.
When a gardener grows non-disease-resistant plants in his or her garden, the soil bacteria and fungus are killed with the pesticides. After several years of doing this, the soil will become sterile. It won’t be able to support any plants (even weeds won’t grow). This means the gardener will have to keep buying new non-disease-resistant seeds every year!
When a garden center sells non-disease-resistant plants, they are making a killing. The customer will most likely not be satisfied with the plant because they don’t look as pretty as the pictures in the gardening magazines.
Many gardeners are so frustrated with their dying plants that they give up and go buy some new seeds.
The cycle continues as the garden center continues to profit from the sale of non-disease-resistant plants. If a gardener wants to stop this cycle, they must grow disease-resistant plants.
Disease-resistant plants can withstand certain amounts of bacteria and fungus in the soil. Some gardeners may think that their soil is so infested with bacteria and fungus that it isn’t worth growing disease-resistant plants.
However, there are easy ways to fix this problem. One method is to take a plastic tray (the disposable kind that has holes for ice) and place it over an area of the soil that needs to be protected.
Then, pour water into the tray. The water will seep down into the soil through the holes in the tray and kill off all the bacteria and fungus. After this process, diseases will not be able to attack the plants in that specific area. Another method is to put a clear tarp over the area that needs protection. Then, prop four boards up against the tarp on each side. This will keep wind from blowing over the tarp and carrying disease-causing agents with it.
As you can see, non-resistant plants are not all they’re cracked up to be. The next time you go buy some garden seeds, look for the disease-resistant type.
You won’t be disappointed!
Sterilize Your Soil
Purchase several newspaper sheets 14.99
Purchase water hose and nozzle 1.00
Make 5 trips to garden center, total miles driven = 32 miles, gasoline cost = $4.34, car tire wear = none, parking fees = $4.00 2.00
Purchase peat moss, humus, manure, and potting soil 5.97
Purchase clear plastic tray (with holes in the bottom), 4 corner posts, and stakes 0.97
Purchase burnable trash (newspapers sheets) 0.00
Make 1 trip to forest or dump area with car, distance = 10 miles, gasoline cost = $2.50, time = 30 minutes round trip 0.00
Purchase seeds 0.00
TOTAL COST: $33.16
First, drive to the forest or dump area with your clear plastic tray. (You will need this later, so don’t throw it away.) While you are driving there, open all the windows in your car to make sure it can ventilate well.
When you reach the dumping area, hand shovel the top soil into the clear plastic tray.
When you have filled the tray three-quarters full, place it in the trunk of your car. (Make sure it fits!) Drive to a place that sells seeds.
Purchase an assortment of flower and vegetable seeds. (Approximately 15 assorted varieties will do.)
Return to your car. Open the trunk and dump all the top soil into a pile on the ground.
Then, take all the seeds and spread them out evenly on the top soil. Take the clear plastic tray and place it on top of the seeds.
Go to a hard surface (driveway, patio, sidewalk…) and stomp on the tray with all your might!
This will help to break up the soil so that plants can grow in it later. Pick up the tray and dump out the crumbled up soil. Place the tray into your car trunk.
Now drive to a garden center–not a supermarket! Garden centers contain things that are good for the soil.
They also sell things like little green plastic flowers that you can plant to make your garden look pretty. Supermarkets don’t sell things like this, so they probably won’t have what you need!
After you reach the garden center, go directly to the part of the store labeled “garden soil.” Here you will see several different kinds of soil.
You want a brown soil that has been enriched with fertilizer and some other secret ingredients. Buy three bags of top soil.
Drive to the cashier. Upon reaching the cashier, ask him to put all the bags in a bag — the clear plastic one!
This will save you from having to make five trips back to your car. After paying for your items, return to where you dumped out the crumbled up soil. Spread it out evenly with the top soil you just bought. This should be the first layer of your garden!
The Second Garden
First, you must purchase a small amount of plants. Go to a store that sells plants and buy three cactuses.
You don’t need to know their names, just that they’re cactuses.
Next, you need to visit the forest or any place with a lot of trees. Purchase one small stick from the ground.
Don’t pick the stick off a tree, just grab it from the ground.
Now you need to get a plant pot or a small bucket. Buy one, but don’t get one that’s plastic or metal.
You must get one made out of clay. Clay is good for the soil because it has nutrients that help plants grow.
When you get home, place the three cactuses in the pot or bucket. Then, place the stick in the pot.
The cactuses should be touching the stick. Finally, fill the pot or bucket with the soil you bought earlier.
Your Second Garden Is Finished!
Congratulations! You’ve just created two gardens that are great for young plants and people who don’t have a green thumb!
Sources & references used in this article:
Growing tomatoes in the home garden by D Pittenger – 2005 – books.google.com
Molecular markers for selecting diverse disease resistances in tomato breeding programs by JM Lee, CS Oh, I Yeam – 2015 – plantbreedbio.org
Hereditary resistance to disease in tomato by JM Walter – Annual Review of Phytopathology, 1967 – annualreviews.org
Categories:
Tags:
No Tag
Post navigation
Previous post Portuguese Laurel Care: How To Plant Portuguese Laurel Tree
Post navigation
Next post Propagating Oak Trees – Learn How To Grow An Oak Tree