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Published on 07/29/04

Season's lessons key to next year's perfect tomato

By Wayne J. McLaurin
University of Georgia

I can't recall how many news articles, bulletins, pamphlets and other types of information I've written on tomatoes. Never have written the perfect one. Nor have I eaten the perfect tomato -- yet.

There's always that striving, though, for that illusive dream.

I talk to myself more and more as I get older, but the conversations are still the same: I didn't plant the right tomato. I knew I should've ordered those seeds earlier. I'm going to side-dress at the right time next year. I know drip irrigation's the key, so why didn't I get it in this year?

How many questions can you raise for not having the perfect tomato?

Too hot? Too many insects and diseases? Too wet? Too dry? Got to get the weeds under control!

Reflect

Look back over this season. Have you made notes about problems and when they happened?

You can lay odds on the same problems showing up next year within a week of the time they did this year. Think back over the past years and you'll see this is true.

What to do?

Write down problems and possible solutions. This is the only way. And you have to do it now, while the memories are fresh. If you wait until January and start looking at seed catalogs, this past season and the lessons it held will be a distant memory.

Now, what was that I was trying to converse with myself about?

(Wayne McLaurin is a professor emeritus of horticulture with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)

Wayne McLaurin is a professor emeritus of horticulture with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Wayne J. McLaurin
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