What is causing our tomatoes to have such tough skin? They are in large tubs, full sun, watered daily and fertilized every other week. We have two varieties — Better Boy and Celebrity. Both are producing tomatoes with tough skin. — Tommy
Stressful growing conditions, especially drought and heat, are primarily responsible for tough skin in tomatoes. If they are unfit to eat as is, peeling the fruit is an option that would take some time and effort, but would allow you to salvage the crop.
To peel the tomatoes more easily, bring a pot of water to a full boil. Put the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 15 seconds and then remove them. The skin will be easy to remove.
Our best and highest quality tomatoes are harvested from May to late June. From here on, high temperatures and insects such as stink bugs will reduce the quality of the fruit you get from your plants.
Newly planted magnolia trees need special care.
Advocate Staff photo by CHRIS GRANGER
Two magnolia trees we planted in spring were looking good in the beginning, but now the tips of the leaves seem to be turning brown. Is this natural or is it because of all the rain? Someone told me to buy some kind of fertilizer with iron in it and sprinkle it around them. What is your suggestion? — James
Brown leaf tips generally indicate stress. Stress is very common in young trees the first summer after they are planted, because their root system is limited and has not grown into the surrounding soil yet. It most often is the result of too little water (see below for how to properly water newly planted trees).
However, magnolias are very sensitive about too much water. Periods of heavy rain may keep the tree too wet. There is not much you can do about excessive rainfall except to be sure not to water excessively. This is not a nutritional issue, and fertilizer is not recommended. The symptoms certainly don’t indicate an iron deficiency, so using an iron fertilizer is not needed.
WATERING NEWLY PLANTED TREES: We will certainly see periods of hot, dry weather this summer, and it will be very important to water recently planted trees during those times. Do not rely on lawn sprinklers to water newly planted trees. One good way to properly water a tree in its first year is to turn a hose on trickle and lay the end on top of the ground within 6 inches of the trunk. Let the water trickle for about 30 minutes. This should be done once or twice a week during hot, dry weather.
Another option is to use a plastic bucket, such as an old 5-gallon paint bucket or any plastic container about that size. Use a hot ice pick or skewer to make small holes on one side of the bottom of the pot. About 10 holes should do it. Then, place the bucket a few inches away from the trunk with the holes in the bottom near the trunk.
Fill this bucket up one to three times a week as needed depending on how dry it is. Watering should be considered when about seven days go by without significant rainfall.
Please tell me what is the difference between climbing and rambling roses. — Beverly
Rambler roses are a subgroup of climbing roses.
Climbing roses are types of roses that have long, supple canes suitable for training on fences, arbors, trellises, etc. Climbing roses can be found in many groups of roses, including hybrid tea, polyantha, floribunda, China and noisette.
Rambler roses are a particular group of once-blooming climbing roses that produce long (10 feet or more), vigorous canes bearing clusters of small flowers in great profusion in the spring/early summer, then few or no flowers the rest of the season. They bloom only on the growth they made the summer before. Avoid heavy pruning in the fall, as you will prune off a lot of flowering canes. Most climbing roses (including ramblers) won’t actually “climb” without effort on the gardener’s part to train them by weaving and tying them onto their support.
Mowing regularly and correctly is one of the best things you can do to keep your lawn healthy.
Garden tips
MOW REGULARLY: It is unhealthy for lawn grass if you allow it to get too tall and then cut it back short. Try to mow frequently enough so that you remove no more than one-third of the length of the leaf blades when you mow.
VEGGIES NOW: Heat-tolerant vegetables to plant in July include cantaloupe, cucumbers, luffa, okra, hot and sweet peppers, pumpkins, Southern peas, squashes and watermelons. Plant tomato and bell pepper seeds in mid to late July in pots or cell-packs to produce transplants for planting in August, or just wait for transplants to become available at that time in area nurseries.
KEEP ‘EM COMING: Keep colorful flower beds well-groomed and weed-free. Remember that they are highly visible in the landscape. Try to deadhead as regularly as possible to encourage continued flowering.
BLACKBERRY CARE: Blackberry canes that produced fruit this year should be pruned to the ground. The vigorous new canes that grow this summer will produce next year’s crop. They should not be heavily pruned, although they may be tip pruned to control their length.
FIG PRECAUTIONS: Fig harvesting begins in mid to late June and kicks into high gear in July. Be careful when harvesting or pruning figs. Special cells in the plant produce a milky sap called latex that contains ficin. Contact with skin causes ficin dermatitis in people who are sensitive. Psoralens in the fig sap are activated by sunlight and cause dermatitis in sensitive people as well. Wear long sleeves and gloves when working with or harvesting figs, avoid getting sap on your skin and wash it off promptly if you do.